Illana Williams wasn’t expecting to fly to Pullman in September, but when Kalyah, her daughter and a freshman on the WSU volleyball team, had to have emergency surgery on her leg, she booked her ticket right away. Unfortunately, that flight was cancelled. “I was frantic but I knew I was going to get to Pullman to be there for my baby,” said Illana, who lives in the Los Angeles area.
The rescheduled flight put her in to Pullman after Kalyah’s surgery so “my mother nerves were naturally on edge.” Illana wasn’t sure about this small, community hospital either.
On the plane she just happened to sit by a nurse from Pullman Regional Hospital, Stephanie MacCulloch. Illana told her about her daughter and her worries. “Stephanie was an angel. She answered my questions and allayed my fears,” she said. “She even drove me to the hospital when we landed at the Pullman airport and took me back to meet the nurses on staff and show me where Kalyah’s room was. She told me if I needed anything to give her a call.”
Being that this was Kalyah's first real surgery, she was grateful for the patience and reassurance from her surgeon, Dr. Hazelwood. “Dr. Hazelwood was great. He made sure I was feeling normal and that nothing was uncomfortable for me the next few days after surgery.”
“The care at the hospital was so good and Stephanie calmed me of all the nerves that were all over the place,” Illana said. “I just want to say thank you!”
