IU Health North Hospital . . . funding blessings and easing suffering at TFC
On behalf of the patients of the Trinity Free Clinic, we would like to extend our gratitude to IU Health North Hospital for sponsoring our Women’s Clinic. Our clinic treated 2,706 women in 2014, including 271 who obtained specifically women’s services such as:
- Clinical breast exams
- Referrals for free mammograms
- Pap smears
- Pregnancy testing
- General infection care
- Ultrasounds
Our patients are either uninsured or underinsured and typically hold more than one job. By keeping our patients healthy, we keep Hamilton County healthy.
A story from Director Dina Ferchmin: A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to interpret during an evening Women’s Clinic. The patient complained of severe back pain which was interfering with her job. Our nurse practitioner asked a number of questions which at first seemed unrelated to the problem.
Looking at the patient’s chart and noticing a slightly elevated blood sugar level, our nurse asked the patient whether she had difficulty losing weight. The patient said yes. She asked whether the pain ever seemed to shoot to her leg, and again, the patient answered yes. When asked if she had had trouble becoming pregnant, the patient said that she has been trying for 4 years without success.
After several more questions which the patient answered in the affirmative and after a physical exam, our nurse informed the patient that she suffers from polycystic ovarian syndrome. The nurse explained that this illness was causing all the other symptoms that the patient was experiencing. Finally, she told her that the disease is easily treated with a medication which is free at some pharmacies. When the nurse left the room to write up her notes, the patient looked at me and started to cry. “I have suffered for years and no one has been able to help me. I have prayed for relief from my suffering and now I have finally found it.”
Miracles, big and small, happen at the Trinity Free Clinic every day. The work of our volunteers is a blessing to our patients, but our patients bless us even more!