Nurse, Veteran bond through health crisis

One brisk fall morning, Army Veteran Donald King was on his way to his medical appointment for blood work at the Fort Stockton VA Clinic. It was a normal appointment, but one where he would meet Laura Lannom, the nurse who would eventually save his life.

 “A nurse found me lying on the ground in the VA parking lot,” said the 75-year-old Fort Stockton native. “I tripped getting out of my car, and Laura saw me from her office and immediately rushed to help escort me inside the VA Clinic.”

Lannom didn’t know King would be her patient when she picked him up, but treated him just the same—a Veteran needing her care, which culminated in a lifesaving visit, as King was in danger of organ failure.

“Mr. King told me he wasn’t feeling well. He told me he was hurting really bad on his side. He had a protruding mass sticking out. You could definitely tell something was wrong,” Lannom said.

Flown by helicopter for surgery

The pain was from a perforated bowel, and King was on the verge of going into sepsis with imminent organ failure. His nurse recognized the severity of the condition from years of working as an emergency room nurse.

“When I got to the emergency room, I didn’t stay there very long. I needed immediate care, so I was flown by helicopter to the Odessa Regional Hospital where I went directly into surgery,” King said.

King’s surgery was slow and arduous. He had always been a man of few words, but his gratitude towards his nurse was profound.

“They told me when I woke up, I had two holes in my bowel big enough to fit a grapefruit. If I hadn’t stepped into VA that day and received Laura’s help, I would have been dead,” he said.

As the weeks passed, King would need additional care for the perforated bowel. His rural care team at Fort Stockton was there every step of the way, assessing his recovery and providing outside care, when necessary. King and Lannom would often talk about their shared experience. Rarely a time could pass where King can’t let it slip that his life was saved by his nurse.

“You are top priority in this clinic.”

“If I have a health problem, I know before I leave my house that I’m going to be okay. It’s people like Laura that make the care here so special. You know that when you walk into the treatment room you are top priority in this clinic,” he said.

For Lannom (pictured above with King), King’s care is a testament of what drove her to become a nurse. “We definitely bonded through providing care. We’re a small town here so you tend to bump into each other a lot. His medical journey makes me appreciate my choice to become a nurse.”

In addition to enrolling in VA health care, regular check-ups and proactive management of health conditions can make a significant difference in the quality of life and long-term outcomes for Veterans. Being an active participant in your health care with your VA providers ensures that you receive the best possible care and can help prevent potential health issues from becoming serious problems.

To learn more about your Veteran health care benefits, visit VA Health Care Benefits or call 877-222-8387.