I attended the celebration of life for Ted Loftness Friday. As I listened to the people giving tributes, I realized how blessed we were to have Ted (and family) in Litchfield.
Several speakers told hunting and fishing stories. There were laughs and some tears. Several speakers told “doctor” stories. And there were some laughs and tears.
I thought of what Ted’s dedication and ambition did for our health care in Litchfield. I thought of the team he assembled and taught. This included the medical staff, clinic staff and hospital staff. There wasn’t anyone who Ted did not teach and mentor to improve the health care of our community. EMS and law enforcement were part of the team too.
Judy Matthews and I shared memories in the car on the way to the Wayzata Country Club. She remembered Ted’s first Christmas here. Whenever we were in a stressful situation, Ted would hike up his pants. We knew then this was a big deal … code blues, sick cardiac patients, and trauma patients. So, the critical care unit nurses purchased some wide Christmas suspenders and made a surprise visit to his home. Ted was very gracious and offered us drinks and food. We visited and then gave him the present. He laughed so hard! We also included a sampling of our Christmas baking, but the suspenders were a hit. Ted actually wore them and explained to everyone about the gift.
My memory was what came to be known as “The Night of the Frozen Lady.” It was a January Sunday with the windshield a minus-65 degrees. The city was shut down. About 6 p.m. a Litchfield Police Department officer knocked on the door and told me he was to take me to the hospital right away. I said I would drive. I met Judy Matthews and Cheryl Lenz at the time clock. None of us knew what was going on. The CCU was full of people … ambulance staff (Will Massingham is part of Ted’s team in heaven) and law enforcement.
A woman was talking to her friend. She was drinking (a lot) and told her friend she was going to the mailbox to check her mail (in her nightgown). The friend tried to call her back with no answer and then called 911. About that time a city snowplow driver reported a human leg sticking out of a snow drift. Now she was in CCU. She was totally frozen. I do not know how Chuck Fuller got her intubated. I had to put in a catheter for her urine. No other details will be reported here!
Today there are national protocols for hypothermia. This was about 1990 or 1993. There were no standards. Ted led a 3 1/2 hour resuscitation that saved this lady. A “spectator” was Dr. Warren Shepard, who was visiting Litchfield. Ted was recruiting him as a second internist. This woman went back to her part-time job after a stay at a metro hospital. She has one of her little toes amputated, that is all.
Ted the bird dog for heart disease
Those years were our golden years in CCU; everyone agrees. Ted talked the hospital into buying a stress test unit and taught us how to prepare and monitor patients. CCU nurses had to learn how to do EKGs. Then we had to learn to recognize anterior and inferior changes. Then TPA was approved and we learned that. Then Ted talked the hospital into starting a cardiac rehab department. Wilbur Judd was the first of many patients.
Our outreach cardiologist was Dr. Terry Longe from the Minneapolis Heart Institute. Dr. Longe was busy in the outpatient clinic, and he always did follow up phone calls back to Litchfield about patients at Abbott. We loved him. Dr. Longe also gave classes for nurses. When we had to learn EKGs, Dr. Longe did a class for nurses. It started at 5 p.m. on a Friday. The room was packed. I remember sitting there thinking how lucky we were to have a cardiologist teaching us on a Friday night. Dr. Longe put up an EKG and asked us to read it. Sue Pushman said ”inferior ST elevation with reciprocal changes in the anterior leads.” Dr. Longe was impressed and so were the rest of us. The dye was cast and Sue set the bar for us learning EKGs.
Then Judy Matthews, Linda Larson (her mother, Hazel, was pretty much saved by Ted and later graduated from cardiac rehab) and myself started a monthly cardiac support group for graduates of cardiac rehab. One day, I remember standing in CCU with Judy when Ted complimented all of us about our start-to-finish cardiac program.
Ted also taught the medical staff how and when to refer patients with possible cardiac problems. The patients had a stress test by Ted. If there were changes, off they went right away to Abbott. Judy, Veda, and I helped with stress tests and rode ambulances to Abbott, and other nurses helped cover the hospital when we rode the ambulance. We were all part of the team. Ted truly was a bird dog when it came to finding blockages in people’s hearts!
One day a letter came from the Litchfield Clinic. Thinking it was a bill I set it aside for Adam. Judy called that evening and asked what I thought of Ted’s letter. I was like what? It was National CCU Nurse Week and Ted had written each of the CCU nurses a letter, very personalized, thanking us and telling us how he appreciated our skills. I still have it.
The loss of Ted leaves many holes; some can’t be filled. But the quality of care and the desire to raise the bar for our local health care was missed the day an excellent doctor got a desk job. Ted, and family, were a blessing to Litchfield.
