Surgery leads Birmingham couple to hospital ministry

Surviving open-heart surgery might be considered a major accomplishment in itself, but for one couple, it also led to the accomplishment of developing a ministry. 
   
Robert and Mary Giles, members of First Baptist Church, Sandusky, in Birmingham Baptist Association, helped start the Princeton Heart Volunteer program at Princeton Baptist Medical Center in Birmingham 11 years ago. 
   
They served as coordinators for several years and now serve alongside about 20 volunteers, all of whom are “graduates” of the open-heart surgery program at Princeton Baptist.
   
“Our main goal is to help the patients,” Mary Giles said. “We’ve seen a lot of patients and had a lot of wonderful blessings from this.” 
   
The need for a ministry to these patients became apparent to her when her husband had serious heart trouble in 1994 that led to five bypasses. 
   
He did not have classic symptoms of a heart attack such as chest pain or numbness in his arm but he was extremely tired. 
   
It was when Robert Giles’ face turned blue around his lips that his wife decided to call the doctor. 
   
When surgery was determined as the course of action, Mary Giles said she wished that someone who had gone through heart surgery could be there to talk with them during the ordeal. 
   
So in an effort to provide that for others, she welcomed the chance to help start the heart ministry at Princeton Baptist. 
   
Princeton Baptist’s then-sister hospital in town, Montclair Baptist Medical Center (now Trinity Medical Center), already had a similar ministry in place. 
   
As heart volunteers, the Gileses help open-heart surgery patients and their family during the frightening moments. 
   
On their assigned day, the volunteers call the hospital to get the names of heart patients scheduled for surgery the next day. 
   
Mary Giles said she and her husband go to the hospital that afternoon to visit with the patient and his or her family the day before surgery.
   
“We’re busy down here a whole lot,” Mary Giles said. “We love it.” 
   
Having survived open-heart surgery, Robert Giles can identify with the patient, while his wife identifies with the spouse and family members. 
   
During their visits, the Gileses try to provide a listening ear and helpful advice for patients and families such as following doctor’s orders about rehabilitation. 
   
Mary Giles said their visits usually last about 15 minutes unless the patient requests they stay longer. 
   
“Each patient is different,” she said. “We pray for them every day at home.”
   
For the most part, she said patients have expressed appreciation for visits from the heart volunteers. 
   
“These team members are all good Christian people” who love the patients and enjoy visiting them, Mary Giles said. 
   
In addition to serving the patients, the volunteers also minister to the doctors.
   
“We want to encourage them (the doctors) every way we can,” she said.