 After a long day at work, 66-year old Diane Cowell came home.
Instead of relaxing, Diane experienced shooting pains in her right calf. Thinking nothing of it, she elevated her leg and continued on with her evening.
When she called her sister, Yolanda, to catch up that evening, her sister suggested she go to the emergency room at Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center.
Diane agreed and at the hospital entered what she thought was the emergency room. In fact, she was on the opposite end of the hospital and in extreme pain.
Joanne Smith, a hospital team member on her way to a meeting, saw Diane leaning against the wall and knew she needed help quickly.
In minutes, Joanne brought her a wheelchair and escorted her to the emergency room.
In just five minutes, Diane was taken back to be treated for her leg pain. Within 10 minutes, two staff members were caring for her.
Recalling that she had always been sick as a child, Diane has visited approximately 30 emergency departments across the country. Her visit this time was different.
“Usually you’re waiting an hour or so before you're even seen,” she recalled of previous experiences.
Kristyna Paradis, D.O., checked on Diane shortly afterward and diagnosed her with leg spasms.
“With all the tests that were performed, I was out of the hospital in an hour and a half,” Diane said.
Although emergency room visits are never expected to be fun, Diane says being a patient at Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center’s ER was probably the most enjoyable experience she’s ever had.
“They made you feel like you weren’t sick. I totally forgot about my pain because the medical team was so compassionate and so professional,” she elaborated.
Diane has made Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center her choice for treatment. She warns family and friends that “If I’m ever in a situation where I can’t talk or I can’t speak, this is where you take me.”
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