Employee Appreciation
Thank You letters
Veterans and their family members often send numerous letters of praise and gratitude to the Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center. These letters serve as a true testament to the compassionate care provided daily by the medical center's hard working staff to our nation's heroes. Here are a few letters we would like to share.
I have not been able to find your VA email address but wanted to reach out to you directly to express both my Mother's and my appreciation for the care the team there gave my Dad while in their care. If I may give you a little detail, I think it will help you better understand who all helped. Unfortunately, I do not have all the names and don't want to leave anyone out. We have nothing but praise and gratitude for everyone who helped us get him there and cared for him while there. We took my Dad, a veteran of the Korean Conflict, to the ER in Athens, AL on Saturday May 6th after an overnight fall that, we feared, had broken some ribs. The scans uncovered what the ER physician and radiologist who read the scans feared was cancer. I took him to his primary care physician on Monday. She saw the same thing and immediately referred him to a local Oncologist. After getting my Parents back to their home and as comfortable as they could be under the circumstances, I returned to my home in Tuscaloosa.
On Tuesday morning, I reached out to the VA team in Tuscaloosa to see what our options were. I knew my Dad was already in the VA system because he had seen a VA physician in Huntsville for a while. My initial thought was to move my parents to a retirement community close to my home in Tuscaloosa, get him established with a primary care physician at the Tuscaloosa VA and with the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Tuscaloosa for his cancer treatment. I think I spoke to Dwayne. Later in the day, I received a call back saying my Dad’s records had been found and transferred. All I needed to do was schedule an appointment when we got him to Tuscaloosa to meet with the primary care physician. Two contacts with Tuscaloosa VA. Two times I came away impressed and thankful for the service given and care shown.
On Thursday of that week I took my Dad to the Oncologist. Given the spread of the cancer and my Dad’s other health issues, the Oncologist did not recommend trying to treat the cancer but focusing only on palliative care. Given that we weren’t going to treat the cancer, she did not even think we should put him through the pain and trauma of a biopsy. Her prognosis was three or four weeks. Given his condition and the prognosis, she recommended inpatient Hospice. I called back to the team there from the Oncologist’s office with an update on my Dad’s condition and asked for options. Within a couple of hours Dr. Fulghum called me back. She had already spoken with Oncologist in Athens and had everything in place. She scheduled Medical Transport to pick him up at his home just north of Athens on Friday morning. He was admitted to the Valor rehab unit (I don’t think there was a bed in the Hospice unit when he arrived).
I am convinced, due to the outstanding care he received from Dr. Stracener, the nursing staff and all the support staff, he actually grew stronger for a while. He has begun to decline but we have had, not three weeks but, three months’ additional time with him. I know only God knows when He will call my Dad home. I am convinced He used the skill, talent and caring of the entire team at the Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center to allow my Mother and me some additional time on earth with my Dad. Please pass on our sincere gratitude to the entire team; the administrative team, Drs. Fulghum and Stracener, James Smith (his social worker), the nursing staff (I wish I had all their names, they are such an outstanding group of skilled and caring men and women!), the nursing assistants, the food service team and the custodial team. My Mom and I cannot express our appreciation in strong enough terms for the team at the Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center for the care and compassion we have seen.
Thank you
~Email from Veteran's Family
~ August 21st, 2017 ~
Just had an appointment with Dr. McKnight, and wanted to thank you for bringing him on board. I was very pleased with the care Dr. McKnight provided, and have never gotten a more thorough exam before. Thank you again for the wonderful service.
~ Conversation with Veteran ~
~ August 8th, 2017 ~
Before I came here, I was living in the woods in Tennessee, before that I lived in Tent City, and on the streets in Nashville, trying to find whatever food, wherever I could find it. I've had addictions and I've made bad choices, and I came here because I knew I was going to die if I didn't get some help. I needed help. I had nothing. No clothes, no job, no home.
When I came here I didn't know what to expect. I was scared of people, didn't trust anyone. I was assigned to Mrs. Kabrina Jones as my case manager, and I had a sense of her hope for me, her kindness. From day one she has been there for me. No matter how long the line is to see her, she stays and patiently gets the job done, no matter how late in the day it's getting. We have a lot of issues, and she is there, working hard every day. She helped me fill out a Walmart application. She and Mrs. Catherine Register practiced that job interview with me over and over, giving me feedback and pointers, Mr. Danny Wideman drove me there, he's great too, and you know, I did the interview and they hired me on the spot! Mrs. Jones got me help in getting a HUD-VASH voucher and so now I will have a home. I think she is the best, I really do.
I think this place is the best, it's been better than anything I could have ever expected. I have a job, I have a home, I don't have to go back to the woods, ain't that something? This place really turned me around, and I'm just so thankful. Coming here to the Tuscaloosa VA is the best thing that could have ever happened to me."
~ Veteran conversation with the Direcotor~
~ August 4th, 2017 ~
I would lke to thank Kabrina Jones for the outstanding job she has done with me since I've been in the RRTP program. She continues to help me, even though I've graduted from the program. I really appreciate her dedication and the wonderful job she does for me.
~ Veteran phonecall with the Direcotor's Office ~
~ July 31st, 2017 ~
To the Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center, I came in for my medical treatment and was very pleased with the service and professionalism that was bestowed upon me. One of your escorts, Bryan Woods, helped me get to where I needed without hesitation. And I really feel like Dr. Neelamegam was there to help and listen to me, the way every Veteran would expect to be heard.
~ Veteran conversation with the Direcotor's Office ~
~ July 13th, 2017 ~
I wanted to let you know what a wonerful organization you have here. I wanted to thank my Primary Care Provider, Eye Clinic, Lab, and Hearing department. I love this VA and the people here are really doing a good job. The Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center is exceptional.
~ Phone call from Veteran ~
~ July 7th, 2017 ~
Dear Mr. Merkle: The University of Alabama Social Work Military and Veteran's Class students wish to thank you and your exceptional social work staff for the visit our class had at the VA facility on April 21, 2017. The planning for the trip was organized by Mr.Damon Stevenson and Mr. William Suclupe. The class arrived at the VA on Friday morning and was greeted by Krista Davis, HUD/VASH and Chasity Madison, MHRRTP. They also met Mr. Jeff Block Acting Chief of Social Work Services.
Ms. Davis and Ms. Madison gave us an introductory tour of the length of the myriad of connected buildings and took us to a classroom where several presentations were provided by social work staff to include, Stella Clough, PACT SW, Amy Mitchell, MHRRTP, Jennifer Vanhorn, Acute Psychiatry, and Mr. Aaron Wade, HCHV Outreach. Each of the speakers provided us with an overview of their work and activities with veterans and their families. They all epitomized professionalism and dedication to social work services for veterans. We want to thank them for their time and the information they shared. There were additional individuals who were introduced to us who made the visit informative and interesting. Our sincere thanks to each individual and all the staff we encountered. The time was a good investment and deepened our understanding of the services available to veterans.
Thank you for making this educational experience possible.
~ Letter from The University of Alabama School of Social Work~
~ July 2nd, 2017 ~
To whom if may concern, would you please give Alicia McMillian a "Big Pay Raise"! She deserves it because she worked so hard to straighten out the paper work from the Birmingham VA and the Tuscaloosa VA. The medicines were different and Alicia worked very hard to straighten them out. Please make her the "Employee of the Month". Very Sincerely, Veteran and Spouse.
~ Letter from Veteran ~
~ July 1st, 2017 ~
Dear Mr. Merkle: I want to extend a huge "Thank You" to the facility for their support with my Cub Scouts from Pack 7. On Sunday January 8th, my Webelos Scouts had met with Tulio Pineda and Joshua Leow to learn about Engineering and opportunities in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math).
The scouts met with Tulio and Josh in the conference room in building 5 where they were able to see blueprints for the renovation project currently underway in building 39. Both Engineers stressed the importance of Engineering and Math in everyday life and gave examples of the different types of engineering opportunities that the Scouts can consider as further jobs.
We then proceeded to building 39 where they showed how the blueprints are the instructions for how to complete the renovation. Our Scouts were going to complete a service project by picking up trash in the main parking lot, but the temperature and wind hampered our success. Our Scouts will return to perform the service project on another day when the weather is warmer.
James Neary Webelos Den Leader
Letter from Cub Scout Pack 7
~ July 1st, 2017
