Building Terry’s House: With Arms Wide Open

Gino Paris (left) and Esther Paris (right) are grateful for the care and generosity they received from Community Regional registered nurse Renee Miller.

Looking for a way to get to a hard-to-reach spot in his yard, Gino Paris climbed atop his RV and brought his ladder with him for added height. But his plan backfired. With chainsaw in hand, Paris fell more than 30 feet from the ladder atop his RV.

“I could hear my wife in the background screaming and then I passed out. That was it. I don't remember nothing after that,” Gino said.

His wife Esther Paris was frightened, but luckily she was nearby to call for help.

“Of course, I started screaming and I turned off the chainsaw,” she said. “But he wouldn't answer me – no response, no nothing. So I ran in and called 911.”

Gino was airlifted to University Medical Center, which formerly housed the region’s only Level 1 trauma services before last year’s move to Community Regional Medical Center. Gino remained hospitalized at the former UMC for a three-month recovery.

Esther didn’t want to leave his side, but had nowhere to stay that was close to the hospital. Because the Parises live in Squaw Valley, almost an hour away, Esther could not drive home daily.

"We were sleeping out in the hall, sleeping in the van, sleeping in the waiting room," Esther said.

That’s when Renee Miller, registered nurse and trauma service specialist, stepped in.

“Renee's special. Renee did what probably very, very few people would have done in their lifetime,” Gino said.

Miller not only cared for Gino throughout his stay at Community, but opened her own home to the Parises.

“She just offered her home to us. [She] just said go home; I'll give you a key. Go in, take a shower, take a rest, eat – do whatever you have to do,” Esther said.

“Every once in a while there's a special person that stands out that needs a little extra attention and Esther was one of them,” Miller said. “I knew we didn't have a place around the hospital that she could go and do that.”

Because of families like the Parises, Community Regional is now creating a new facility named Terry’s House that will offer convenient and affordable lodging for families while their loved ones receive critical care.

The proposed facility will be a 17,000-square-foot, two-story home within walking distance of the main entrance of Community Regional.

The construction of Terry’s House is entirely dependent upon private gifts and contributions. Community Medical Foundation’s goal is to raise additional funds for operations and to provide housing to those in need.

“That interest and that concern, you take it to heart. That's the way she is, that's the kind of person she is,” Esther said.

Thanks to the generosity of Miller, Esther had somewhere to stay. But in the near future, the convenience of Terry’s House will save other families some worry by keeping patients’ loved ones at bedside.

“If it wasn't for Renee, I wouldn't be here,” Gino said.

And Esther is sure grateful he is here.

“I can't thank the nurses and the hospital and the doctors enough for bringing my husband back to me.”

For more information on Terry’s House, please visit TerrysHouseFresno.com or call (559) 459-2648.

This story was reported by Millie Tang. She can be reached at mtang2@communitymedical.org.

Tuesday, June 03, 2008