Helen Edmonds has been around the medical field for much of her life.
“My mother was a physician’s assistant for a long time,” she said.
When the time came for her to choose a career, Edmonds decided to become a nurse. She enrolled at Western Kentucky University when the program became available there and graduated with an associate’s degree in its second class.
“I was glad to be a part of it,” she said, smiling.
After 35 years as a registered nurse at The Medical Center, Edmonds retired in 2003. She hasn’t totally left the profession behind, though. She currently facilitates the Stroke Support Group, which meets from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. the first Tuesday of each month at The Medical Center’s Health and Wellness Center at Greenwood Mall. The group is for stroke survivors, their families and caregivers to talk about their experiences, challenges and needs.
“We’re geared toward being there for support and hope by giving them the information they need to meet the challenges they have because of the stroke,” she said. “We meet here to give advice. We’re here to engage.”
Building the support group hasn’t been easy because the number of participants fluctuates, but Edmonds has no plans to give up trying.
“We might have two this time, three the next time and then drop to zero. We’re trying to keep people interested in coming back,” she said. “To be able to sit in a group and discuss what’s happened in your life - some of the simplest things might help us. You learn so many things that will help someone.”
Edmonds worked as a telephone operator while she was at WKU and started working at The Medical Center once she finished school. She began as a staff nurse on the medical floor and worked her way up to unit director of the urology and surgical units. The last department of the hospital where she worked was in outpatients. In her 36th year at the hospital, she decided to retire.
“My husband had already retired,” she said. “I think you know when it’s time.”
Even though she’s retired, Edmonds keeps her nursing license current. She has done some nursing at the Health and Wellness Center and volunteers at the hospital.
“I enjoy it,” she said. “I don’t think I will totally give (nursing) up.”
One of her favorite things about being a nurse is helping people.
“I like being able to help someone through illness or procedures, and then they go home better than when they came in,” she said. “Sometimes that doesn’t always happen. It makes you feel good when that happens.”
— For more information about the Stroke Support Group, call 745-0942 or 877-800-3824.
