A medical emergency doesn’t wait for the right time—or the right place. For Mike Myatt, a Sonoma resident and military veteran, that reality became clear in the moments he needed care the most.
For years, Mike and his wife, Wendy, split their time between Sonoma and the Bay Area, relying on the San Francisco VA hospital for his medical needs. But when they made Sonoma their full-time home in 2019, they began to understand firsthand that access to local medical care isn’t just convenient—it’s life-changing.
That truth hit hard in January 2024, when Mike’s COPD flared up due to pneumonia. He was struggling to breathe, and the idea of an hour-long trip to San Francisco was simply not possible. Wendy brought him straight to Sonoma Valley Hospital, where he was seen quickly, admitted to the ICU, and stabilized over the next three days.
“The nurses were incredible,” Mike says. “They didn’t know me, but they took care of me like I was family.”
Just a few months later, in May, Mike faced another emergency—this time, a dislocated hip while at home. Wendy called 911, and within minutes, he was back at SVH. The pain was intense, but the team was ready. Even when his hip dislocated again just two days later, the hospital responded with the speed and expertise he needed, calling in an orthopedist and ensuring a safe recovery.
“The pain was a 15 out of 10,” Mike recalls. “I can’t imagine making that long ambulance ride to the city in that condition. Having care here made all the difference.”
After undergoing a hip replacement at the VA hospital, Mike returned home to continue his recovery through Sonoma Valley Hospital’s Physical Therapy Center, where local support once again made healing more manageable.
“Doing my PT in Sonoma instead of driving an hour each way has been a game-changer,” he says. “I’m healing faster because I can focus on recovery—not on travel.”
Mike’s story underscores a simple but powerful truth: when minutes matter, proximity saves lives.
“When you’re healthy, it’s easy to take a hospital for granted,” he reflects. “But when something happens, you realize just how critical it is to have care close to home. If I’d been in the hospital in San Francisco, Wendy would’ve had to stay in a hotel just to visit me. Instead, she could be home, knowing I was in good hands just down the road.”
Mike’s story also underscores how the Sonoma Valley Hospital staff, of which approximately 20% are veterans, serve and care for the veterans of our Sonoma community.
Sonoma Valley Hospital is My Hospital.
At Sonoma Valley Hospital, every patient story is personal—and each one reflects our mission to provide excellent care close to home. We are proud to care for our neighbors with compassion, expertise, and heart.
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