For most people, Sheridan, WY is a place to come when you want to get away from the crowds yet still crave the comforts of a small town. For Sig Palm, the deciding factor to come to Sheridan was having local access to exceptional healthcare.
Sig’s first introduction to Sheridan came in 1967, while on a trip to meet with the forest supervisor and his primary staff. Sig was a newlywed, freshly off active duty in the Army, and brand new to the Forest Service. That day kicked off a pivotal Forest Service career spanning fifty-eight years and numerous states. While the bulk of his working years took him far away from Sheridan, he never forgot how at home he felt there. Unforeseen to him at the time, Sheridan would become the place he relied on to manage numerous health concerns ranging from minor to extensive.
Sig is no stranger to heart problems – both his maternal grandfather and his mother died of congestive heart failure. Around the age of 11, Sig realized he had inherited the same heart trouble. “I knew about it because I didn’t have the stamina that other kids did, like in PE.” So, it was of little shock to Sig when in 2012, on a Boy Scout trip to Yellowstone with his grandson, he went into congestive heart failure.
At that time, Sig and his wife Judi were living in Colorado Springs but contemplating a return move to Sheridan. “Sheridan is where we felt most at home. Our kids were born around here, and we kept in touch with our friends.” But for Sig and Judi, they couldn’t base their decision to move back solely on feelings – the scare on that Yellowstone Boy Scout trip made proximity to specialized healthcare the number one determinant in where they would live. Armed with a list of Sheridan doctors suggested by his physician in Colorado Springs, Sig set to work researching. “The most important thing to me at the time was the heart center and what it offered. I told them what I had going on, and Dr. Brennan came highly recommended.” What he found in researching Sheridan Memorial Hospital Heart Center sealed the deal – after decades away, they were coming home to Sheridan.
Since their move back to Sheridan, Sig has run the gamut with hospital specialties. From Cardiology, Orthopedics, and Wyoming Rehab to Internal Medicine and The Welch Cancer Center – he has been a patient of each. Sig recalls a conversation he had with Dr. Megan Ratterman, Oncologist at the Welch Cancer Center, when he was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma. She said, “I won’t feel offended if you want a second opinion.” Sig thought about it and decided, “Nah. You know, I want to stick with the Sheridan team. I trust their counsel.”
Sig understands he has options for care. He has chosen to stay here at SMH. For Sig, the ability to receive the care he needs locally made all the difference. “Everyone I have ever came in contact with at the hospital has been just beyond wonderful.”
For more information about the many exceptional services offered at Sheridan Memorial Hospital, visit our website at www.SheridanHospital.org.