DYER | A "Welcome Home" balloon peeked from a cluster of green and white balloons Thursday morning in the emergency room at St. Margaret Mercy Healthcare Centers.
"Welcome home" was a recurring theme at the rededication and blessing of the ER, which could re-open in its permanent location as early as next week. Flood waters overran the ER in August, forcing its temporary relocation to another part of the hospital.
Dozens of hospital staff, many in scrubs and lab coats, crowded into the lobby of the ER Thursday. Two months ago, flood water was up to 2 feet high where they were standing.
The rededication was a time of celebration and renewal, with nods to "The Wizard of Oz," beginning with hospital president Thomas Gryzbek's directive to have everyone stand up and repeat after him.
"Dear God, there is no place like home!" they cheered.
Between prayer and song, the Rev. Henry Sequeira compared the teamwork in "The Wizard of Oz" to the cooperation of hospital staff.
As Sequeira prepared to bless the ER with holy water, Gryzbek interrupted.
"We were asked to use just a little bit of water," he said, laughing.
Sequeira sprinkled holy water in the lobby, on the doorways and the entrance. Gryzbek suggested he bless nearby Plum Creek, which overflowed Aug. 24 and caused the flooding.
Gryzbek thanked sister hospitals, hospital staff and construction workers for their cooperation over the last two months. He said he expects the State Board of Health will sign off on the re-opening within the next week.
"It's really close," he said. "That's all I can tell you."
Gryzbek said it's a miracle for the hospital to be back in working order so quickly.
Jon Gilmore, president and CEO of Tonn and Blank Construction, agreed.
Gilmore was there the day of the flood. As crews pumped water from the building and staff evacuated 66 patients, Gilmore estimated it would take at least six months to fix the damage.
But working seven days a week, 20 hours a day, 400 tradesmen brought the hospital back to life in a third of that time, Gilmore said.
Damage on the first floor was far-reaching, but the ER was hit the hardest. Crews ripped out nearly 100,000 square feet of tile. The bottom 3 feet of drywall and insulation along the walls on the first floor had to be removed.
