Great care at Northern Montana Hospital

There I was laying on a bed in the fifth floor of Northern Montana Hospital, very much against my will.

My doctor’s physician assistant told me gently — but in no uncertain terms — that I was to be hospitalized and that my input was not required.

So, there I was, fearing the worst. What kind of treatment would I get at Northern Montana Hospital?

Well, with apologies to Hi-Line detractors who say that nothing good comes out of our area, there is no better place to be in if you are under the weather than Northern Montana Hospital.

For the next few days, I was in a hospital bed grumpy as all get out. I could not have asked for better treatment from doctors, nurses, cleaning staff, cafeteria personnel and technicians.

They were friendly, cheerful, knowledgeable and helpful. They made me laugh, though I was not in a laughing mood and tried my darndest to be miserable.

They answered all questions from their reporter-patient who wanted information on every last thing and asked questions time and again.

“What is this you are making me drink?” I’d want to know.

“It’s water,” the exasperated nurse would respond. “It won’t hurt you.” My two doctors, Cameron Acor and Rudo Ambayi were the best, knowing my name not just the number and seeming very concerned about my problems.

While I didn’t need advanced heart surgery, I felt the staff treated my rather routine malady very well and treated me very well along the way.

I hope the fifth-floor staff is long retired before I’m back, and although I was thankful for their service, I wasn‘t one bit sad to leave the place.

If worse comes to worse, though, I’ll be glad to see them and hope they can once again put up with their grumpy, inquisitive patient.

(John Kelleher is managing editor of the Havre Daily News. He can be reached at [email protected], 406-265-6795, ext. 17, or 406-390-0798.)