Galen Chandler is a cattle inspector, work that takes him to some remote areas of West Texas. He had never been a patient at Hereford Regional Medical Center before, but when he was bitten by a rattlesnake, he immediately knew he could depend on them to save his life.

Galen was bitten at a ranch west of Bootleg, well over an hour away from the higher-level trauma hospital in Amarillo. When he felt the bite on his ankle and heard the rattle, he got into his truck and made the short drive to HRMC.

“I’m gonna do my best to get to Hereford Regional Medical Center,” remembers Galen.

As soon as he reached HRMC, he was in bad shape, vomiting and blood pressure dropping. The emergency room team quickly stabilized him and treated him with the lifesaving anti-venom he needed. Staff stayed with Galen until the helicopter arrived to transfer him to the higher-level trauma hospital in Amarillo, where he was able to make a full recovery.

Galen and the countless other patients who trust HRMC know that when lifesaving help is needed, HRMC delivers. Even though he had never needed it before, Galen trusted that HRMC would take care of him.

As a level IV trauma facility, HRMC has the tools and resources to evaluate and stabilize patients in emergency situations. Having the right equipment and skilled personnel to initiate lifesaving care is crucial when every second counts.

See other patients’ stories here.