Unexpected stop leads to reassuring care at Bothwell

David Hockett came to Bothwell Regional Health Center during one of the most unsettling moments of his life, looking for answers and hoping he was not having a stroke. What he found was calm, compassionate care that quickly replaced fear with reassurance.

Hockett, of Columbia, works for Estes Express Lines and was making deliveries in the lake area. As he headed toward Warsaw, he suddenly could not remember the names of people he works with.

“I’m thinking, ‘What’s going on? Something isn’t right,’” he said.

Hockett said he did not have vision changes or some of the other symptoms he associated with stroke. Even so, he knew something was wrong, so he called one of the secretaries at his terminal in Columbia for help finding care nearby. Before long, he was on his way to Bothwell Regional Health Center in Sedalia.

By the time Hockett arrived, his wife, Sherri, was on her way and another driver was heading to pick up his truck. Even with so much uncertainty, he began to feel more at ease soon after he got there.

“The care I received from the beginning in the Emergency Department was wonderful,” he said.

Presenting with an elevated blood pressure, Hockett remained in the Emergency Department while testing was completed and stayed overnight as an observation patient in the Progressive Care Unit. He said the team kept him comfortable, communicated clearly and helped make a frightening night feel manageable.

One of the people who left the biggest impression was Dr. Conor Haas.

“Dr. Haas was super nice, very friendly and had a great bedside manner,” Hockett said. “He really helped take a lot of fear away because I had never experienced this before.”

Hockett said Dr. Haas told him there was no sign of stroke and that what he appeared to have experienced was a transient cognitive impairment; in plain language, a short bout of amnesia that can occur with high blood pressure. As a precaution, the team continued treating Hockett’s situation with the seriousness they would give a patient experiencing a possible transient ischemic attack, or mini-stroke.

Additional testing the next morning brought more reassurance, and Hockett was released later that day.

Looking back, he said what stands out most is how smoothly everything worked from start to finish.

“Everyone treated me with compassion and professionalism,” Hockett said. “The whole team worked together like a well-oiled machine.”

For Hockett, what could have become one of the scariest moments of his life turned into an experience marked by kindness, clear communication and confidence in the people caring for him.

He said he is especially grateful for how supported he felt every step of the way, from his first moments in the Emergency Department through his overnight stay in the Progressive Care Unit and discharge the next day.

“I rolled out of there as a huge proponent for Bothwell,” he said.

There was one more surprise during his stay: the food. A self-described foodie, he said the spinach lasagna was the best he had ever had, and the chocolate pie, too.

“Food is a big deal to me,” Hockett said. “I always say you eat with your eyes first, and this meal looked good before I ever took a bite. Then I tasted it and told Sherri, ‘This is unreal, especially for a hospital!’”

An unexpected medical scare on the road became something Hockett will remember for a very different reason: compassionate people, reassuring care and a team that helped him feel safe every step of the way.