For Suzi Dettmer of Waverly, walking into Waverly Health Center (WHC) brings back a lifetime of memories. Before she was a patient here, she spent decades in our kitchen, cooking meals for patients, staff and visitors alike.
Originally from Okinawa, Japan, Suzi came to the U.S. with her family and faced the challenge of finding work as a non-citizen. After being turned away from many jobs, she was hired at what was then St. Joseph Mercy Hospital. Her starting wage was 55 cents an hour. Suzi still proudly keeps her pay stubs from those early days.
Known for her delicious goulash, Suzi also had an incredible memory for staff breakfast orders. “Mr. Taylor from Taylor Physical Therapy always had skim milk and toast,” she recalls.
Recently, Suzi returned to WHC as a
patient. She came to the Emergency Department with intense dizziness and was later admitted to the Med-Surg floor, where she was diagnosed with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). It’s a condition caused by dislodged crystals in the inner ear that can lead to severe dizziness and balance issues.
Her stay included labs, a CT scan and plenty of rest. But what stood out most to her was the care. “The staff was so wonderful. I didn’t want to leave. I felt spoiled,” she says warmly.
Now, Suzi is continuing her care with Taylor Physical Therapy to help with crystal repositioning. And while she’s no longer working in the kitchen, Suzi’s connection to WHC remains strong, from cooking for three generations of Rathes to earning Employee of the Month.
