OPINION: Thanks to St. Pat's and St. Joe's

This is an open letter of heartfelt thanks (or should I say lung, diaphram and stomach-felt thanks) to every employee of St. Joseph’s and St. Patrick’s hospitals.  

From the surgeons and infectious disease doctors through the nurses and aides, housekeepers and dieticians, thank you for saving my life. Yes, I’ll even thank the X-ray guys who whisked me through the halls at 5 a.m. — you had to do what the surgeons wanted and you did provide heated blankets.  

Forty days in hospital from a bicycle wreck seems almost absurd, and in the early days I was in fact out of my mind, but now I know we have a first-class trauma center in Missoula that doesn’t give up until they get things fixed.

This experience not only made me profoundly grateful for all the expert and compassionate care available in our community, but proved to me that there are lots of young people who are already technically skilled, learning more every day, moving up in their profession, and doing it with a lot of love.

I wish I could name all the people who treated me so well, but this will have to do. Thank you, thank you, thank you. —Steve Wheat, Polson