Tuesday, Sept. 30, 1997 | 8:03 a.m.
I have to respond to what I just read in the newspapers concerning Gina who is a personal friend of mine. I have know Gina and her family for more than 15 years. I have never met anyone who is more caring and concerned about her family, friends and the patients that she cares for in her long, dedicated and devoted career as a nurse.
I was not only surprised but livid to think that she was fired because she was either intoxicated or on drugs and could jeopardize the patients in her care. Anyone who knows Gina would know that she would not be in that state whether she was at work or at home. She is not a drug user or a drinker and if she periodically has to use a pain medicine, you know she is really hurting as it is not her nature to use such drugs.
A few years ago Gina actually saved my life. I was extremely ill and went to another hospital's emergency room to get help. They ran a few tests and told me what I didn't have but couldn't tell me what was wrong. They sent me home with an extreme white blood cell count, fever and in excruciating pain. They told me to come back if I didn't get any better. When Gina heard about it she called me and begged me to get to the emergency room at once as this could be very serious. I did go and the doctors there said if I had waited another three days I would have died.
Another time a good friend was having surgery for an aneurysm. Gina came into the waiting room and explained the procedures of the surgery and the recovery and what to expect, greatly easing our worries and our minds. She is so down to earth and compassionate.
For five years she worked at Sunrise with no complaints from either patients or the administration. It was only after Columbia took over that she saw the cost-cutting measures were affecting patients' care and she could not stand by and not do anything about it. She is too professional a nurse to let Columbia jeopardize its patients. We all need to stand with her in her beliefs as this could affect our very lives as well.
Jackie Hemenway
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