Patient Stories

Now in our 30th year, Shady Grove Adventist Hospital is where our community turns for medical excellence offered with respect, support, and compassion. We care for thousands of patients and their families every year, one unique individual at a time. Here are a few of their stories.

Jim Clark, a serious horseman and bluegrass guitarist in his spare time, sensed he was slowing down. But a heart attack just before Thanksgiving proved that health, not age, was the culprit.	Heather Johnson's second bout with melanoma was more serious than the first and required extensive surgery. The surgery removed Heather's cancer, but not her fears or thirst for authoritative information about the disease.	Looking back, Marie Martins says she was in denial. Her worsening shortness of breath and new dry cough could no longer be dismissed as an allergy or summer cold.
A Horseman's Return	Navigating a Way Through Cancer	A Life-Saving Trip Down the Street

The last four weeks of Sarah Miller's pregnancy were filled with fear and frustration. Leg numbness and pain had left her almost completely immobile. But instead of improving as expected with daughter Izzy's birth, Sarah only got worse.	Shady Grove's Birth Advisor, Susan Hine, RN, sees the same transformation dozens of times a month, whenever she meets with expectant parents. They arrive for their consultation filled with advice from birth classes, family and the Internet, but are still terrified.	Kim Rose had been at Shady Grove for four weeks of bed rest when she found out her father-in-law had passed away. Within hours, the twins - at just 26 weeks - were born, weighing only 1.83 and 1.11 pounds.
Getting a New Mom Into Action	Preparing for a Very Special Delivery	A Place Where Fragile Lives Grow Strong

Past Patient Stories

Our patients are your sons, your daughters; your husbands and wives; your nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, and grandparents. They are your neighbors, your co-workers and your best friend. In short, we care for those you care about. Shady Grove Adventist Hospital - this is your hospital and these are your stories:

Within a week after learning she was pregnant, Jennifer Clapp-Bennett got an even bigger surprise. Triplets. The culmination of Jennifer’s pregnancy...took place here at Shady Grove...	It all started with a basketball injury at age fifteen. Years of knee surgeries, treatments, and arthritis followed until Marguerite Nedzelnitsky’s pain became so severe she could barely walk...	At 5’9”, 330lb., Rodney Rubin knew he was putting his health and future at risk, but he needed more than wise words of advice from a doctor to lose weight. ...he decided on Shady Grove...
Read Jennifer's Story	Read Marguerite's Story	Read Rodney's Story

Selma and Harold Hurwitz were...finishing up dinner...when something seemed suddenly, terribly wrong with Harold. It was a heart attack — a massive one, as Selma learned minutes later...	Buddy Harding knows he’s a lucky man. His stroke occurred in the morning before his wife had left for work. “She knew right off the bat,” Buddy says, telling him he was having a stroke...	The birth of any first grandchild is thrilling. For new grandfather Jimmy Green and his family, the birth of Ethan Michael Knighten on December 12, 2007, was especially so...
Read Harold's Story	Read Buddy's Story	Read Ethan's Story

A few days before her 8th birthday, Heli was at the pool, practicing holding her breath underwater. In a sudden and frightening turn of events, she lost consciousness, and was brought to the surface...	Flo Tomanek, 72, is a woman on the go. Traveling, volunteering, hanging with the girls, even caring for her young granddaughter. But not so long ago, pain had her stopped in her tracks...	Almost three months before her twins were due, Kristin van de Geer discovered she was going into labor. "You never think it’s going to happen to you...We’re very lucky we came here.”...
Read Heli's Story	Read Flo's Story	Read Kristen's Story

Art Carter had always been healthy, athletic, strong and in charge — as a teacher, a special agent for the Drug Enforcement Administration, and as a father. Now Art was told he needed bypass surgery...	The kids were just back in school after the winter holidays, when Stephanie Greco got a call from her son’s school. Nicholas had been playing football at recess, had slipped and required stitches...	"I was a ticking time bomb," says Terry Francis...And I was prepared for the risks with my surgery. What I wasn’t prepared for was the amazing care I received here as a patient; it’s overwhelming."...
Read Art's Story	Read Nicholas' Story	Read Terry's Story

It was July 14th, right before teeing off at the golf course, when Bob Tyrrell first felt an uncomfortable pressure on his chest. By the third hole, he knew something was wrong...	Courtney and Josh Moore were not only neighbors, they were high school sweethearts. Skyler Lee Moore, their first child, was born on August 17, 2004, and enjoyed his first year of life...	Something wasn’t right. Marcie Huntley was recovering from surgery, but she was still in pain. Within 48 hours, she found herself at the Emergency Department at Shady Grove...
Read The Tyrrell's Story	Read Skyler's Story	Read Marcie's Story

Julia Kiamos, 89 years old, had been admitted to Shady Grove Adventist Hospital a number of times over the years. But this stay was different. Her family knew that she would not come home...	Fritz Pollard was used to being active, strong and self-reliant. As a former football player at Brown University, it took a lot to bring him down, and the strength of a team to get him back on his feet...	Keith and Genevieve Steele celebrated their 28th wedding anniversary in 2005. They credit the Emergency Department at Shady Grove with saving both of their lives - more than once...
Read The Kiamos' Story	Read Fritz's Story	Read The Steele's Story

We Want to Hear From You

Do you have a story that you would like to share with us? Sharing your experience at Shady Grove Adventist Hospital will inspire others and help us to recognize the efforts of those who made a difference in your life!