Kelsey and Adam returned home to Smyrna the day after the wedding, and began to see family off to the airport. By Monday, July 12th, they were in full preparations for their trip, but Kelsey began to feel ill. Kelsey played it off, remembering that some of their wedding guests had experienced a 24-hour bug prior to attending the event. “I thought maybe I had caught that,” she said, “and figured it would pass.”

However, Adam and Kelsey quickly realized that whatever was ailing her was not passing any time soon. By the end of the day, she was vomiting and experiencing great pain. The couple hopped in the car and headed for an urgent care center. But on the way, it became clear to Adam that Kelsey’s condition was likely more serious and would require a visit to the emergency room. He drove her to Emory-Adventist Hospital at Smyrna.

Kelsey was seen by Dr. Matthew Everett in the ER, who ordered a scan to determine the cause of her symptoms. The scan revealed that Kelsey had gallstones. “I asked if I could go home,” she recalls. “Instead I found out I was being admitted to the hospital.” Kelsey needed to have her gallbladder removed.

The surgery was scheduled for the following day, July 13th, the same day Kelsey and Adam had planned on leaving for New York City, where they would begin their honeymoon before heading to Montreal and Quebec City. By that time, Kelsey’s nurses had learned of the unfortunate timing. Although the confines of a hospital room were no match for Montreal, the staff was determined to make the best of it for the couple. Kelsey’s nurse, Rose Onyirimba along with Joan Roper, Guest Services Coordinator, presented the newlyweds with a wedding gift, and a card that everyone had signed.

“Having Joan always check in was so nice,” Kelsey said, “Everyone was great about taking the time to explain things and never making us feel stupid. The gifts were a great surprise, but most importantly I was definitely really well taken care of.”

Kelsey was set to be discharged on July 14th, which also happened to be her birthday. Once again the staff at EAH pulled through, singing “Happy Birthday” to Kelsey and giving her a card and cupcakes to take home.

Now home and recovered from her surgery, Kelsey is enjoying married life. She and Adam are currently planning a trip to make up for the honeymoon that got away. This fall, Kelsey will return to Georgia State University where she is a graduate student.

Although disappointed with the initial botched honeymoon plans, Kelsey can look back at the situation and laugh thanks to those who cared for her at Emory-Adventist. “If we had to spend our honeymoon and my birthday in the hospital, those were definitely the people to spend them with!”