A Scary Moment, And a Steady Team: An Urgent Care Team Makes All the Difference

When you walk into a clinic in distress, especially far from home, you hope for reassurance, clarity, and compassionate expertise. For Lorraine, who was visiting the Sandy community from California, that hope became reality during an unexpected medical emergency at Adventist Health Portland’s Sandy Urgent Care.

Lorraine experienced what would become one of the most severe allergic reactions she had ever seen. In fact, emergency responders would later confirm this assessment. But what could have been an overwhelming and frightening ordeal was transformed by a clinic team whose calm, proactive care made all the difference.

Care That Begins the Moment You Walk In

Lorraine arrived struggling to breathe, clearly in distress. Front‑desk team members Susan and Geri immediately recognized the urgency of her condition. Without hesitation, Susan alerted the clinical staff, and Lorraine was brought back for evaluation right away.

That quick action set the tone for everything that followed.

A Coordinated, Compassionate Response

Inside the exam room physician associate Karen Kostenko, joined by clinic staff members Trina, Arthur, and Guimar, sprang into action.

As Lorraine’s reaction worsened, Karen calmly guided her through every step:

• Administering a steroid injection, Zyrtec, and Pepcid
• Monitoring her vitals every few minutes
• Providing oxygen and cardiac monitoring
• Preparing and administering an EpiPen
• Explaining what each intervention would feel like
• Ultimately calling 911 when her condition required emergency transport

Throughout it all, Karen checked in continuously, offering reassurance at a moment that could easily have been terrifying.

Emergency responders later told Lorraine that the team’s protocol and speed mirrored what they typically initiate only once a patient is already in the ambulance. It was clear: she was in exceptional hands.

Gratitude That Stays With You

IV treatment and follow‑up care got Lorraine safely through the episode, and the next day she returned to the clinic, donuts in hand, to thank the team who helped her through one of the scariest days of her life.

Although she missed Karen that day, Susan made sure her message of gratitude got through. Karen called Lorraine the next day, giving her the chance to personally express her thanks. Lorraine also shared her story with Christie Gwalchmai, wanting to ensure the team’s extraordinary care was recognized.

Why This Experience Matters

Lorraine spent 25 years caring for her mother, navigating clinics and hospitals across two states. With a best friend who ran an urgent care clinic for decades, she has seen the full spectrum of healthcare delivery, both good and not‑so‑good.

Her perspective is seasoned. Her praise is not given lightly.

“Calm, compassionate, and proactive care is not always a given,” Lorraine shared. “So when it is received, it stands out.”

And for the first time in more than 30 years as a patient in the emergency room, she experienced that care firsthand.

A Team That Reflects Adventist Health Values

Lorraine’s experience is a powerful reminder that exceptional care is more than medical treatment. It’s presence, communication, attentiveness, and teamwork. What happened that day at Sandy Urgent Care is what Adventist Health Portland strives for with every patient, every visit, and every moment that truly counts.

As Lorraine put it:

“A scary, unexpected day in my life was handled in a way that made a big difference when it truly counted.”

To Susan, Geri, Karen, Trina, Arthur, Guimar, and the entire Sandy Clinic team: thank you for modeling the heart of healthcare. And thank you, Lorraine, for sharing your story. Experiences like yours reflect why our mission matters.