SACRED HEART HOSPITAL
900 W CLAIREMONT AVE
EAU CLAIRE, WI 54701-5105
This publication in no way seeks to
serve as a substitute for professional
medical care. Consult your physician
before undertaking any form of
medical treatment or adopting any
exercise program or dietary guidelines.
FROM THE
FRONT LINE
REAL LIFE INSPIRATIONS FROM COLLEAGUES WHO CARE FOR PATIENTS AND FAMILIES
AN OLDER PATIENT at HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital who had been with us for a while was feeling antsy. She had
cabin fever.
Mostly she missed her daily routine of watching the squirrels bound through the tall trees at her home near Eau Claire.
She got a lot of pleasure from their busyness and antics. Throughout the years she had been keeping track of the fluffy-
tailed critters and had developed a kinship with the little guys.
She missed them.
Her oncology care team stopped to converse with her about the squirrels often—chatting about how fun they are to
watch. The hospital colleagues knew there were very few to be seen from the woman's room so far above the ground in
the patient tower.
Two of the nurses decided to bring a touch of home to the woman's bedside.
On break, they went to the hospital Gift Shop and found a cuddly toy squirrel. They presented the patient with the soft,
cheerful gift and told her to hug her new friend when she was longing for her squirrel-watching routine.
We have seen time after time that healing isn't solely about pills and procedures. It's about listening, responding, and
reaching out when people need us most.
