On a hot August day last year, Torrington resident, Richard Woodard was working in his garage. He became uncomfortably warm and decided to take a break in his air-conditioned house. It was then that the classic symptoms of a heart attack hit him- sweating, pain in his upper arm and shoulder, radiating through his chest, his jaw and arm went numb. Thankfully, his wife was home at the time. They both recognized the seriousness of the situation and immediately sought care at the Emergency Room at Community Hospital.

"I was having a massive heart attack and the emergency staff on duty was there to do everything possible to pull me through", stated Mr. Woodard in a recent interview. Tena Baldwin, R.N. was the emergency room nurse on duty that day along with ER Doctor, James Hawley. After stabilizing Mr. Woodard in the emergency room, he states, "they flew me to Cheyenne for additional treatment, where the doctors said the Torrington staff was to be commended for a perfect job".

We are now able to report that Mr. Woodard is successfully recovering from his heart attack and has also "graduated" from the Cardiac Rehab program at Community Hospital Mr. Woodard stated that after stents were placed in his damaged heart in Cheyenne, he had function of only 23% of his heart muscle. After Cardiac Rehab, a stress-echo test revealed that his heart function had improved to 46%.

"Diane Friedly, is a tough, but caring task-master in Cardiac Rehab", Mr. Woodard stated, "She makes it enjoyable as well as challenging. Thankfully our community has this program available right here so that myself as well as other cardiac patients can take advantage of our own home-town professionals without leaving home."

Richard and his wife, Shirley, have lived in Torrington for four years, since he retired from WNCC in Scottsbluff where he taught environmental studies. Richard told us that when he and his wife began thinking about retiring they "drove all-over" looking for a small community they could enjoy. They ended up moving to Torrington, where they could see "ladies walking at 5 a.m. in the morning, little children playing in safe neighborhoods and where the people are so friendly."

"This wasn't the first time we used Community Hospital for an emergency", Mr. Woodard stated. "Three years ago my wife had a serious asthma attack and was also treated in the emergency room at Community Hospital. We were very pleased with her care at that time as well. We have a great little hospital."

The staff and administration of Community Hospital extend their best wishes for many more happy and healthy years of retirement to both Richard and Shirley and sincerely thank them for giving us an opportunity to share their community health care story.