For more than 54 years, Jane has called Sonoma home. A marriage and family therapist who has lived in Sonoma since 1972, she has built a life deeply connected to the community she loves—one filled with lasting friendships, neighbors she can count on, and an appreciation for the comfort of living in a small town where people care for one another.
That sense of community became especially meaningful one frightening morning when Jane suddenly found herself facing a medical emergency. It started as a feeling she couldn’t quite explain. “I just didn’t feel well Thursday night,” Jane recalls. “A little nauseous, some discomfort in my chest—but nothing that made me think it was my heart.” She went to bed hoping rest would help. But early the next morning, everything changed. “I woke up and my heart was racing—really racing. I knew something wasn’t right.”
Jane called the advice nurse at Kaiser, who asked her to count her heartbeats. The number was alarming—well over 100 beats per minute. The response was immediate and clear. “They told me, ‘This is an emergency. You need to go to the nearest hospital right away,’” Jane says. “I said, ‘My nearest hospital is Sonoma Valley Hospital,’ and they said, ‘Then go there.’”
A neighbor quickly stepped in to drive her, and from the moment she arrived, care began without delay. “I was taken in immediately,” she says. “Very quickly, the doctor told me I was in tachycardia—an extremely rapid heartbeat—and that they needed to slow it down.” Though the diagnosis was frightening, Jane found reassurance in the team around her. “The doctor was very capable and gave me confidence. And the nurses—there were two of them—they were so kind and attentive. I was scared, and they stayed right there with me. ”The care team explained that they would administer a medication designed to briefly stop and restart her heart—essentially resetting its rhythm. “They told me exactly what would happen, which helped,” Jane says. “But it was still intense. My body jolted, my heart stopped for a few seconds, and then it kicked back in.”
The procedure worked.
“And we were all so happy,” she says. “I started to feel better almost immediately.” Jane remained in the emergency department for monitoring and hydration while the team coordinated with Kaiser for a transfer for further observation. But as the day went on, it became clear that a transfer wouldn’t be possible. “They kept checking in with Kaiser throughout the day,” she recalls. “But they were overwhelmed—there weren’t enough beds or ambulances available.” Instead of being transferred out of the community, Jane continued her care right where she was.
“So I stayed,” she says. “They moved me upstairs, continued to monitor me, and made sure my heart rhythm stayed stable.” She remained at Sonoma Valley Hospital for another 24 hours under observation—close to home, surrounded by a team she had already come to trust. “In the end, I received everything I needed right here,” Jane says. “I was well cared for, and I didn’t have to leave my community to get that level of care.”
Looking back, what stands out most isn’t just the clinical expertise—it’s the compassion. “I couldn’t have been more grateful,” she says. “The medical care was excellent, but the kindness—that’s what stayed with me.”
Today, Jane continues to manage her heart health, but her perspective on emergency care is clear—and it’s something she hopes others understand. “When it’s an emergency, you don’t have to drive far,” she says. “You go to the nearest hospital—and for us, that’s Sonoma Valley Hospital. We are so lucky to have it. The emergency room team is amazing.
Sonoma Valley Hospital Emergency Department
Each year, Sonoma Valley Hospital cares for nearly 1,400 patients experiencing heart-related emergencies, providing rapid diagnosis, stabilization, and life-saving treatment when every second matters. As Jane’s experience shows, in an emergency, the most important decision is to seek care immediately at the nearest hospital. Even if you are a Kaiser member or a Veteran, you can—and should—come to Sonoma Valley Hospital for emergency care. Our team is here 24/7, ready to provide expert, compassionate care close to home.
