moving
for January until hospital executives thought better of transporting patients in possible freezing temperatures at a time of year when emergency departments are usually packed with patients suffering from the flu , COVID and other easily transmissible diseases .
Having the move on aSunday also helped as traffic was at aminimum thanks inpart to Bergen ’ s blue laws that keep most retail shops closed .
Although the Ridgewood hospital will continue to operate as alarge outpatient facility , there were signs Sunday that it wasn ’ t going to be the same anymore .
Adoctor walked into the staff lounge around 7a . m . and quickly came out to the hallway alarmed . He asked some of his colleagues : “ There ’ snocoffee anymore ?”
“ No cups either ,” another said , laughing .
At Paramus , anarmy of 400 volunteers helped direct patients and visitors through the new facility . The move featured afew moments of confusion befitting opening day , such as staff wandering around aparking garage looking for an entrance .
But those were overshadowed on aday of firsts . At9:05 a . m ., alullaby played over the speaker system throughout the Paramus facility marking the first baby tobeborn at the hospital . The lullaby is atradition carried over from the Ridgewood hospital .
‘ A SYMBOL OF LIFE ’
Ray Andrea ’ s connection with Valley goes back to 1983 , when his daughter Mireille was born at the hospital — followed five years later by ason , George . In 2006 , he had an angioplasty performed on ablocked artery at Valley — a procedurethat he said “ saved my life .” The retired bus mechanic never expected to be the first patient admitted to the new Paramus hospital . But on Wednesday evening , hebegan experiencing chest pains at his Washington Township home . His wife Noelle drove him to Valley , where anelectrocardiogram showed hewas having aminiheart attack . Three arteries were almost entirely closed .
And so on Monday morning , Andrea will mark another milestone for Valley : the first patient scheduled for major
HELPING HANDS AND PAWS ( Top ) Volunteers gather for agroup photo at The Valley Hospital in Paramus ; ( above ) Jackie , a6-year-old therapy dog waits to welcome patients to the new hospital .
surgery . Andrea will have atriple bypass operation .
“ They ’ re going to save my life again ,” he said . “ I know it .”
On Sunday morning he settled into his new private room with Noelle at his side and ordered breakfast , lunch and dinner through aportal on his TV . George was on his way up from Middlesex County and Mireille was due to arrive Monday night from Atlanta .
“ This place has always been asymbol of life for me and my family ,” he said of the old hospital . “ And the new one will , too .” n
WHAT ARE THE PLANS FOR THE OLD HOSPITAL ?
Heavy equipment like CT scans and MRI machines will stay at Ridgewood . The facility will be turned into a large outpatient center run by Valley Health that will include services such as imaging .
14 2024 EDITION ( 201 ) HEALTH