No one likes to hear bad news, but a few weeks ago when my husband was told by nurse practioner Marcia Denine at Vineyard Medical Care he needed to go to the ER immediately it was a relief, for both of us. Not understanding why he had difficulty breathing, got tired more easily, and his legs hurt, even after Lyme was ruled out, was already taking a toll on life as we knew it. Ed was checked in officially after a battery of tests under the care of new Island resident Dr. Joel McAndrews and a wonderful team of caring nurses, delicious meals and not far from one of his photographs down the hall. There was a lot of good news despite needing the opinion and official diagnosis from cardiologist Dr. Tim Guiney. My husband required open-heart surgery to repair a mitral valve. After nearly a week in our hospital, not having spent a night at a hospital since 1968, we now had two days before heading to Boston under the seamless organizing of cardio team leader Dr. Guiney for a required pre-op procedure. On this first stay of two days, we got as comfortable as one can with where he’d be recuperating after the ICU. Hospital time is different than being on the outside. My husband says, “You just have to go with the flow.” The care my husband received at Mass General Hospital from the nurses and rest of the staff, physician assistants, doctors was always caring, informative and calm. Thank you to everyone who helped us through this journey, from both hospitals, Steamship Authority, and many friends and neighbors who continue to support us, Ed is feeling better every day.

Valerie Sonnenthal
Chilmark