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Joe Caristi joins Speare Memorial Hospital as Chief Financial Officer

Joe Caristi has joined Speare Memorial Hospital in Plymouth as chief financial officer. Joe earned his bachelor’s degree ...
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Speare Shuffle – Save the Date!

Save the date for our annual Speare Shuffle on Saturday, May 18th, 2024! Come and join us for ...
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Learn More About Our Laboratory at Speare Memorial Hospital

The Laboratory at Speare Memorial Hospital provides a full range of clinical laboratory services for collecting, receiving, and ...
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Meg McLean family

Patient Testimonials | McLean Family Story

The crib was set up. The bags were packed. She was seven days past her due date. The only uncertainty had been where she could give birth. And this morning she woke up in labor.

At the start of her pregnancy, Meg McLean and her husband, Alex, began reading parenting books and preparing the baby room. Everything was going along dreamily. Six months into her pregnancy, however, she learned that her local hospital would no longer deliver babies, and she would be going to Concord. Two days after her due date things took another turn when Concord Hospital declined her insurance. She didn’t know at the time that she was about to have a complicated delivery. But if there is a silver lining, hers was Speare.

Read more about McLean Family's story here: McLean Family Story


Angel and Jeffery Bray with sons, Harbor Bray (left) and Westley Bray (right) at their family farm stand.

Patient Testimonials | Bray Family Story

Westley had ear problems from the time he was born. He had earaches and would grab at his ears. His parents, Angel and Jeff, tried everything. They felt like they lived in the emergency room, primary care office or walk-in clinic. They thought perhaps he had just built up an immunity to all the antibiotics, but then they saw a specialist and learned that Westley had fluid buildup in his ear.

They were happy to have an answer but nervous about the resolution. He needed to have surgery to insert an ear tube. The operation would relieve his pain, but it involved making a tiny incision in his eardrum to insert the tube. Jeff had a good experience at Speare the previous year when Dr. Gennaro operated on his shoulder, so they felt comfortable with Speare. They were not disappointed.

Read more about the Bray's story here: The Bray's Story


Ringlein Family

Patient Testimonials | Ringlein Family Story

The first thing Meghan Ringlein thought when she woke that Tuesday morning was that something was wrong with her baby. Ben was due the next day but didn’t seem to be moving as much as usual.

“I wasn’t sure what it was. I just sensed that something was wrong,” says Meghan.

She already had a scheduled office visit that morning at Plymouth OB/GYN, so she pushed aside her concerns.

Read more about Ringleins' story here: Ringlein Family Story

 


Mary Durgin... FROM CHARITABLE SUPPORT TO PATIENT

Patient Testimonials | Mary Durgin

Mary knew she had a hip problem for a few years. But she dealt with it, telling people she would have it looked at when she felt she should. That day came when she was renovating her lake house and tripped, falling hard. It hurt, but she had dinner to make. It still hurt when she lay down that night, but she was sure the pain would pass. When it still hurt the next day, she called her niece, Meredith, who is a nurse at Speare. Meredith wasted no time and brought Mary to the hospital where they discovered she had fractured her pelvis.

A fractured pelvis requires sitting and resting. By the time Mary healed, six weeks later, she was eager to regain her active lifestyle. She decided it was time she should get her hip fixed. She went to Plymouth Orthopedics & Sports Medicine and arranged for the surgery at Speare.

Read more about Mary's story here: Mary's Story


Matt & Sheila Howe

Patient Testimonials | Matt Howe

With his wife in her final month of pregnancy with their first child, the last thing on Matt Howe’s mind that morning was his own mortality.

He started his day like any other, as program director at The Plymouth House, a treatment home for those with addiction to drugs or alcohol. The Plymouth House and Speare have had a long relationship as community partners. Matt was leading a group session when he began to feel pressure in his chest.

At forty, Matt has been a vegetarian for 23 years and is an exercise enthusiast. He pushed the thought away that he was having a cardiac problem. During his second group session of the day, he began sweating profusely. Staff insisted on bringing Matt to Speare.

Read more about Matt's story here: Matt's Story

 


pat and linda Nestor

Patient Testimonials | Pat Nestor

It was a wild three months. Life changing. It all began last November 7th, when Pat Nestor went to bed coughing, wheezing, and feeling nauseated.

Pat and his wife of 36 years, Linda, both work at Speare Memorial Hospital. He is an interface analyst in the IT department and she is the director of radiology. Linda was heading out the door for work early the next morning when her son came down the stairs with Pat in his arms. They rushed to Speare.

“I was beat and running on no lungs,” says Pat. “They put me on a ventilator and antibiotics, but when I didn’t respond after a few days they sent me to Concord Hospital. It’s wonderful that we have these partnerships with other medical centers.”

Read more about Pat's story here: Pat's Story


Donna - a diabetic's wound care story

Patient Testimonials | Donna

A diabetic for decades, things got grim for Donna three years ago when a diabetic ulcer appeared on her right toe. The pain was so intense she couldn’t put pressure on her foot.

Amputation was mentioned several times,” says Donna, “so it was a relief when Dr. Koren (a surgeon at Plymouth General Surgery) suggested the hyperbaric chamber at Speare’s Wound Center.”

Read more about Donna's story here: Donna's Story


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Cathy-Nolan-Vincevic-2-624x936Patient Testimonials |Cathy Vinčevič's Story 

“No one wants to talk about it,” exclaims Cathy Vinčevič “No women that I know talk about it. I didn’t talk about it. I didn’t even tell my husband. I tried to hide it.”

But, she is talking about it now, and “it” is Stress Urinary Incontinence. Cathy says, “You reach a point of no return and know you have to take care of it.”

Read more about Cathy Vinčevič's story here: Cathy Vinčevič's Story
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Kathy-Brown.trailer-e1461768711680Patient Testimonials |Kathy Brown's Story  For years, Kathy had been experiencing on and off pain. She describes it as cramping, and chalked it up to gas build up. She noticed the pain when she was at home resting or sitting, noting that when she got up and moved around she had no discomfort.

In 2014, Kathy found herself in the Emergency Department at Speare Memorial Hospital with severe abdominal pain. The CT, or CAT, scan ordered by Dr. Casey on that fateful day left no doubt about it . . . Kathy had a blockage in her colon as a result of scar tissue build up after two C-sections, a hysterectomy and gall bladder surgery.

Read more about Kathy Brown's story here: Kathy Brown's Story
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Zumbach-family-7-300x278Patient Testimonials |The Zumbach's Story Four years ago when Rebecca “Becky” and John Zumbach—both teachers in Gilford—moved to Ashland to be more centrally located between work and the mountains where they first met, the task of finding new doctors was simply part of their relocation process. A friend recommended Dr. Banister, at Plymouth OB/GYN, to Becky and having also heard great things about Speare Memorial Hospital, she established herself as a patient.

Read more about The Zumbach's story here:The Zumbach's Story
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Harry-George-150x150Patient Testimonials |Harry George's Story The first day Harry George came to Cardiac Rehab for his initial assessment, he was in a wheel chair. Nearly a year after open heart surgery to replace his aortic valve due to a bacterial infection, Harry was dancing down the halls of Speare.

“Now I have two birthdays,” Harry says. “My actual birthday on October 22 and the day I was saved on August 30.”

Read more about Harry George's story here: Harry George's Story
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MaryAnn AdamsPatient Testimonials |MaryAnn Adam's Story
MaryAnn’s story starts in March 2010 when she had a heart attack, was brought to Speare’s Emergency Department, and air lifted to Catholic Medical Center (CMC). After her hospitalization, she was referred to Speare’s Cardiac Rehab Program. Being a retired nurse who had an active lifestyle, MaryAnn appreciated the monitored exercise program and learned a few tips from the nutritional counseling.

Read more about MaryAnn's story here: MaryAnn Adam' Story
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Charlie-Sniffen-150x150Patient Testimonials |Charlie Sniffen's Story Charlie Sniffen from Holderness, NH had a bypass and valve replacement before being referred to the Cardiac Rehabilitation program. Charlie admits he was doing all the wrong things. His primary care doctor, Dr. Young, kept worrying about him and telling him he should be doing 10 thousand steps a day. Charlie says, “I didn’t listen.” While he hadn’t had a heart attack, Charlie says, “I was in really bad shape. I couldn’t walk very far without having to stop and catch my breath. Traveling for work I always used to look for the moving walkways in airports as I was so out of breath. ”

That’s when Dr. Young referred him to the visiting CMC cardiologists. Preliminary tests showed he was going to need surgery . . . immediately. After surgery he came to Speare’s Cardiac Rehab.

Read more about Charlie Sniffen's story here: Charlie Sniffen's Story
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William-Green-7-150x150Patient Testimonials |William Green's Story William Green has the honor of being the first graduate of Speare’s Cardiac Rehab program. Before his heart attack William says, “I was not an exercise person in any way, shape or form.” A decade later he remains a changed man, continuing to exercise at RehabFIT at least three days a week.

Read more about William Green's story here: William Green's Story
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Bob Keith has places to go and things to do

Patient Testimonials |Bob Keith's Story “We can fix that,” were four words Bob Keith of Moultonborough thought he would never hear. Over the last decade Bob’s quality of life had diminished due to growing discomfort from a surgical wound that would not heal. Then the Wound Care & Hyperbaric Medicine Center opened at Speare, and Dr. Koren gave Bob new hope for healing his old wound.

Read more about Bob Keith's story here: Bob Keith's Story
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MobiPatient Testimonials |The McLane's Story Globe-trotters Micah and Rachael McLane could have been anywhere in the world when it came time to welcome their son, Mobius or “Mobi”. He’s from Plymouth, she’s from Pambula, Australia.  They met surfing 12 years ago while students at the University of Wollongong in New South Wales, Australia. Since then, they have backpacked through southeast Asia; bicycled their way through New Zealand, Australia, southern India, and from Bangkok to Singapore through Malaysia; drove an old beater minivan from Plymouth to the end of the road in Panama and back again, surfing the entire west coast of Central America.

Read more about the McLane's story here: The McLane's Story
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Peggy Brown Speare’s Cardiac Rehab Gets to the Heart of the MatterPatient Testimonials | Peggy's Story Sewing, it’s who Margaret “Peggy” Brown of Rumney is.  It is what she does . . . her therapy . . .her passion.  Daily she can be found in her sewing nook creating her signature pieces— colorful, reversible fleece vests, jackets and snowsuits for children.  However, things began to unravel for Peggy last December when she couldn’t breathe, let alone sew. Her son brought her to the Emergency Room at Speare Memorial Hospital late one evening.  While her EKG and other testing didn’t indicate any problems, she was kept overnight and scheduled for a stress test in the morning.  As Peggy puts it, “That didn’t work out too well.”

Read more about Peggy's story here: Peggy's Story
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Jack Sheffield Breathing Better with Speare’s Pulmonary Rehab ProgramPatient Testimonials | Jack's Story Hiking, downhill skiing, snowshoeing, landscaping, boating, cutting/splitting/stacking firewood or walking his dog, Piper.  This is John “Jack” Sheffield’s New Hampshire lifestyle and one he and his wife, Sally, fully embrace. It is why they moved to Campton 12 years ago, so they could live it every day. About four years ago Jack started to notice he needed to stop and catch his breath when hiking or skiing.  At the recommendation of his primary care provider, Jack followed up with a pulmonologist and was diagnosed with COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder).

Read more about Jack's story here: Jack's Story
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Plymouth Orthopedics Helps Patient Reach New HeightsPatient Testimonials | Jerica's Story For Jerica Turgeon of Thornton, and her horse, Tiffany, everything was going great. They were in the middle of the second round of competition at a horse show in Freemont, NH.  Having just cleared a jump along the outside line of the ring and they were rounding the corner headed for the next jump. That’s when Tiffany got spooked.  Tiffany went right; Jerica went left and says, “The next thing I knew I was skating across the ring like I was water skiing.”

Read more about Jerica's story here: Jerica's Story
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smithtestimonialPatient Testimonials | Sharon's Story Sharon Smith of Plymouth first met Dr. Giovan after her 91-year-old mother fractured her shoulder. She distinctly recalls his interactions with her, and how well Dr. Giovan calmed her mother’s fear and anxiety, even commenting they shared the same birthday.

Read more about Sharon's story here: Sharon's Story

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christinetestimonialsmallPatient Testimonials | Christine's Story Christine Gleason of Thornton cut her heel walking barefoot across the pine floors of her log home. Not thinking much of it, she cleaned it up, put a bandage on it, and went about her day. A couple of days later, she noticed a red line moving up her leg from the cut on her heel. Nine years, and several treatments, later, Christine’s wound has not healed.

Read more about Christine's story here: Christine's Story[/column]
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testimonials_candeePatient Testimonials | Candee's Story When Candee Adams, of Moultonborough, headed off to her nine-year-old son’s football game one Saturday morning, she never imaged she would soon be at Speare—where she works as an occupational therapist—with a badly fractured leg.

Read more about Candee's story here.  Candee's Story
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testimonials_creigPatient Testimonials | Creig's Story When Creig Doyle of Holderness woke up on the morning of November 11, 2010, he noticed his right arm felt stiff and that it was a little swollen. Seeing two “red dot pin prick” marks he chalked it up to a spider bite. As he was shaving he recalls his arm feeling tighter, and that he couldn’t make a fist, but continued on with his morning routine.

Read more about Creig's story here:  Creig's Story
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testimonials_stevePatient Testimonials | Steve's Story One year and two hip replacements later (one on each side), Steve Sharps, 62, of Holderness says, “I never expected to be where I am today. This fall I went hunting at our camp up in Pittsburgh, climbed Crystal Mountain twice, and went canoeing. I feel great.”

Read more about Steve's story here:  Steve Sharps' Story[/column]
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ralpholiverPatient Testimonials | Ralph's Story After three years of shoulder discomfort he tried to address through physical therapy and cortisone shots, Pharmacist Ralph Oliver could no longer escape the sharp pains in his shoulders that were waking him up in the middle of the night. While he could no longer lift his arms above his shoulders, the pain and discomfort weren’t affecting his tennis game. As a competitive, year-round player, it was his tennis game he feared losing the most from having surgery.

Read more about Ralph's story here:  Ralph's Story
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RichEsposito1aPatient Testimonials | Richard's Story Richard “Rich” Esposito of Plymouth Pet & Aquarium had always had excellent eye sight. But three weeks after accidently slapping his right eye with a flex piece of PVC pipe, he couldn’t shake the uncomfortable sensation that “something was on his eye.” Having already seen a different eye doctor three days after the incident, Rich decided to call who he deemed the local eye care authority—White Mountain Eye Care.

Read more about Richard's story here:  Richard's Story
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stevedPatient Testimonials | Andrew's Story The last thing Andrew McLean, 43, of Moultonborough remembers is walking in to the Emergency Department waiting room at Speare Memorial Hospital.  The next thing he knew he was waking up in a hospital room at the New England Heart Institute at Catholic Medical Center (CMC) in Manchester—two days later.  How he got there is quite a story, and one he has been told a few times since his journey began on April 23.

Read more about Andrew's story here:  Andrew's Story
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steve-danosismallPatient Testimonials | Steve's Story Steve Danosi of Laconia spent an afternoon clearing shrubs on his property.  A couple of hours later he noticed cramping in his right thigh, but only gave the discomfort a passing thought.  A month later, however, he was walking bent over and had lost muscle tone in his leg.

Read more about Steve's story here: Steve's Story
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