Providence patients finds special way to thank her ‘saints in scrubs’

Lori Scott was looking forward to an enjoyable weekend with her family during a visit to Spokane in August 2023. She and her husband had driven their RV nearly 200 miles from Wenatchee to spend time with their youngest son and support the Spokane Indians baseball team.

Unfortunately, Lori fell down the stairs right before the game started and broke both her ankles. 

Her family rushed her to Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center. At first, it was a frightening experience for Lori. Even in her 60s, she’s never had surgery or broken a bone before. 

Lori soon found comfort in the caregivers and physicians around her, including Reilly Kuehn, M.D. Dr. Kuehn is one of five fellowship-trained orthopedic trauma surgeons who are part of the team at Providence Orthopedics. 

“It’s rare to have a group with that many fellowship-trained physicians, especially in a city this size” Dr. Kuehn said. “Having that experience and expertise means our patients truly receive the best care possible.”

Lori had surgery on both her ankles to repair the damage. And while she was impressed by the quality of care, she also noticed the quality of her caregivers. 

“They are all miracle workers. Every caregiver was so genuine. I can tell this is their calling,” Lori said. 

Lori was so touched by the compassionate care she received, that just a few weeks after heading home from the hospital, she penned a thank you letter individually recognizing nearly every person who had helped her. 

It reads, in part:

“I cannot begin to express my gratitude for the care all of you gave me after my recent ankle injury. You are most definitely world-class in your expertise, personal service, and genuine care…Every one of you made me feel like a valued human being. I was treated as though I was your only patient…

I heard someone say that you are angles in crocs and scrubs, but I believe you are saints.”

Lori’s generosity went a step further, with a donation to Providence Inland Northwest Foundation’s Honor Your Caregiver Fund, which is a way to recognize care teams and support the world-class care delivered at Providence ministries. 

“Lori may have had a typical case for our orthopedic trauma center, but she is anything but typical,” Dr. Kuehn said. “It is incredibly rare for a patient to reach out to our teams like this. We appreciate her kindness so much.”

“Because of the staff at Providence, I will heal and soon return to my daily routine with a new outlook on life,” Lori said.