News & Events
Hats off to Roper Hospital
The following letter was written by the daughter of a Roper Hospital patient, Mr. Frank Meacher.
April 12th, in the early morning hours, my father, Frank N. Meacher, Jr., left this earth to go his Heavenly reward. It was very hard to lose him. However, I felt privileged and so thankful to be cradling him in my arms as he died. My Mother sat at his side holding his hand. In his last moments, he told my mother and me how much he loved us. He asked me to always and forever care for my mother and his constant companion, his Chihuahua, named "Ninki".
My daddy was brave, strong, and completely unselfish. He was a wonderful father and my best friend. The last weeks of his life had to have been painful as the cancer ravaged his body, yet he never complained. He was rich in love and compassion that he gave daily to his wife, children and grandchildren. He worked hard all of his life to give his family the best. He was always a peacemaker. That is not to say he was a wimp. He never started a fight; however, if a fight was started, he finished it. He was born and raised in downtown Charleston. He loved the water, animals, and golf. God was his first love.
As far back as I can remember, this man said his prayers on his knees every night. My parents shared reading the Bible together for their entire 58 years of marriage. I loved him very much and I am proud to say that I am the daughter of Frank N. Meacher, Jr. One of the many things that he instilled in me was to show appreciation for kindness from others.
Roper Hospital treated him like royalty. The employees in outpatient, admitting, the entire radiology staff, as well as the staff on 3 west never made him wait, treated him so gently and with such kindness you would have thought he was a member of their own family.
Last, but not least, I have to say a special thank you to Dr. David Skinner of the Roper radiology specials department. He helped me to realize that the end was going to be sooner than later and that I should start to make preparations. He was never, ever too busy to answer my questions or to just listen. He kept searching for things that would make Daddy's last weeks of life as easy as possible.
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| Carl Derrick, MD |
Dr. Carl Derrick and his staff were also very attentive. If I called the office, Dr. Derrick always came to the phone or called back immediately. My family and I believe Roper to be the finest hospital in the Charleston area. Because of Roper Staff members, my father died comfortably at home surrounded by those that loved him most.
Thank You Roper Staff.
Gayle Meacher
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