Husband at Bedside Appreciates Shower Service at Gorecki Guest House

Dave Thompson, Otsego, sat vigil at his wife's bedside at St. Cloud Hospital (SCH) for 21 days, barely taking a break. Terri, his wife, was very, very sick.  "We almost lost her a few times, I didn't want to leave," he said.

After a few days, a change of clothes and shower was sorely needed. Dave was trying to mail a letter and "by happenstance," found out through the Gift Gallery staff that not only did the Gorecki Guest House offer a place for family members to stay overnight but also the option of using the day service to take a shower and freshen up.

"It was really refreshing to see some smiling faces and to take a shower.  I just felt better," he shared.

Dave used this service numerous times as Terri spent most of her hospital stay in the ICU. She ended up at SCH after contracting Influenza A toward the end of their two-week European cruise in early April. This led to a myriad of respiratory complications. She was intubated on a ventilator for eight days at SCH.

A woman of deep faith, Terri feels she experienced a near-death experience with God who supported her desire to stay on earth with her family. After an additional stay in a swing bed in the Monticello Hospital, she is now home and continues to receive therapy on an outpatient basis.

Both Terri and Dave are eternally grateful for the care and support from the staff at St. Cloud Hospital as well as the Gorecki Guest House. "I am on the road to recovery and am enjoying spending time with my family," she said.

The Gorecki Guest House, named after benefactors Benedict and Dorothy Gorecki opened in 2009 and has 28 guest rooms to serve families of patients receiving care in the St. Cloud area.

The guest house relies on donations to offset operating costs and to keep room rates affordable. If you would like to join our family of support, donate online or call CentraCare Foundation at 320-240-2810. You also may support the guest house through a donation of gift cards or household goods, such as beverages, individual serving items, and paper and cleaning products.