When Harry Bohling and his wife traveled from California to Sheridan, Wyoming, to visit their daughter in 2019, they immediately knew it was the community where they wanted to put down roots. Bohling began searching for jobs in Sheridan, received a job offer and moved to the community just six weeks later.
The couple’s excitement about their new home was interrupted just a few years later when doctors discovered Bohling had an enlarged aorta and diagnosed him with congestive heart failure in 2022. Since then, he has undergone several procedures, including surgery in Billings, Montana, to repair a leaky heart valve. Most recently, a CT scan at an annual checkup revealed an aortic dissection — a life-threatening tear in the inner layer of the body’s main artery — prompting an emergency transfer to Billings, where he underwent open-heart surgery May 20, 2026.
After his surgery, Bohling needed to recover, regain his strength and prepare to return home safely. He and his wife remembered visiting a friend in Sheridan Memorial Hospital’s Transitional Care Unit (TCU) several years earlier and seeing firsthand the compassionate, high-quality care he received.
Bohling enjoying time with his grandchildren at the TCU
“We had visited our friend in the TCU, and my wife was so impressed with it that when she found out I was being discharged from the hospital in Billings, she reached out to Tracy Will to ask about the TCU,” said Bohling, a 69-year-old father of four and grandfather of 11. “It turned out to be the perfect fit for me.”
When Bohling arrived at the TCU on May 27, he received the exceptional care for which the unit and its staff are known. During his stay, Sheridan Memorial Hospital announced transitional care services would be relocating to Sheridan Green House, the hospital’s long-term care facility. Rather than feeling apprehensive about the move, Bohling believed the new setting would support his recovery and provide a more comfortable environment.
“I thought it was a great idea,” he said. “I’d visited Sheridan Green House several times before, and when I heard we were going to transfer there, I thought it would be more comfortable, less sterile and have a more natural feel.”
On June 9, the hospital began transferring transitional care patients to Sheridan Green House, and Bohling said the move was smooth, efficient and handled with the utmost care.
“Everything was done with care,” he said. “They were very gentle with us patients and got all of us into the building with ease. They were very patient.”
After settling into Whitney Cottage, Bohling said his expectations for the new environment were confirmed. The warm, home-like atmosphere and scenic surroundings made him feel more comfortable and supported his recovery.
Bohling resting in his room at Whitney Cottage
“I had a beautiful view out my bedroom window,” Bohling said. “I live in a very rural area of Sheridan County, and from my room at Whitney Cottage, I could look across the fields to the mountains. It was very nice and comforting. It felt just like being at home.”
Another unexpected comfort? The bed.
“My bed at Sheridan Green House was actually more comfortable than the one I had at the hospital,” Bohling said. “I didn’t really sleep well in Billings, so I expected not to sleep very well my first night at Sheridan Green House, but I slept like a baby.”
While Bohling appreciated the comfort of his room, he said it was the people who truly made his experience exceptional.
“The staff is such a team,” he said. “The way they work together is amazing.”
Each day began with routine blood draws and vital checks before breakfast, followed by physical and occupational therapy sessions designed to help Bohling safely regain his independence after surgery.
Rather than eating meals alone in his room, staff encouraged Bohling to walk to the shared dining area for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Those short walks, combined with the encouragement of his care team, became an important part of his recovery.
“After I finished eating, I’d do an extra lap around the hallway with my walker to get a few more steps in,” Bohling said. “I noticed my strength increasing just from walking down to eat my meals three times a day and taking that extra lap.”
Occupational and physical therapists also worked closely with Bohling to prepare him for life at home, helping him practice everyday tasks such as climbing stairs, safely using a bathtub and navigating uneven surfaces.
“Tiffany Sutton had me stand on uneven pads while she bounced a ball to me, and I’d have to pass it around my back like a basketball player before handing it back,” he said. “Rachel Fields helped me learn how to use a bathtub seat to make showering easier and safer. The exercises were challenging, but they really helped me regain my balance.”
Beyond therapy, Bohling said the family-style atmosphere at Sheridan Green House became one of his favorite parts of his recovery.
“Every meal was really good,” he said. “It was a family atmosphere, sitting around the table with the other patients, getting to know them, laughing and talking together.”
He also appreciated the little things that made his stay feel personal.
“They’d bring me cold fruit juice whenever I wanted,” Bohling said. “They checked on me often. I never felt like I was forgotten in a room at the end of the hall. I felt very attended to.”
Bohling smiles as he drives for the first time since his surgery
By the time Bohling was discharged from transitional care on June 13, he had made significant progress toward returning home safely. Since then, he has continued his recovery through Sheridan Memorial Hospital’s cardiopulmonary rehabilitation program and has celebrated several milestones.
“I’ve been able to go up and down the stairs at home again,” he said. “I can walk around the yard, collect eggs from our chickens and feed them. I was recently given the go-ahead to start driving again, and that’s been really good.”
Looking back, Bohling said he wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Transitional Care at Sheridan Green House to anyone recovering from a serious illness, injury or surgery.
“I had a very good experience,” he said. “The people were attentive and professional. The food was good. The accommodations were really comfortable.”
Even after his discharge, Bohling experienced firsthand what he believes sets Sheridan Memorial Hospital’s transitional care services apart.
“They let me take my walker home for a few days,” he said. “When I brought it back, everybody was calling me by name, giving me hugs, shaking my hand and telling me how great it was to see me back on my feet. It really felt like I was part of a family. I think that’s the benefit of the Green House environment.”
If you or a loved one needs a supportive place to recover after an injury, surgery or serious illness, Sheridan Memorial Hospital’s Transitional Care services provide personalized skilled nursing care, rehabilitation therapy and supportive services to help you heal, return to your highest level of functioning and safely transition home.
To learn more, call 307.675.2667.