A Christmas Note From Tom Taylor, DVM
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Christmas notes always seem to have pictures of family, so here is one of mine. This is our youngest son, Wes, and our dogs Chloe and Jade.
The bond these three have is incredible. I know you all get what that means–you have the same with your pets. And it’s why I do what I do every day.
And these past 365 days have been quite the ride. It all began on that fateful day in December 2016 when we nearly lost our rock, in Jerry, when he suffered a severe hemorrhagic stroke.
By all accounts, there is no reason he should have survived. My theory is that he had pre-paid someone big time, through a life of faith, family, positivity, and service, to pull through a very scary time for his family and all of us.
He practiced medicine and mentored all of us on a daily basis for 40 years. His stroke left us at the office with a sense of unknown. This left you, his long-term client, with a very similar feeling.
You saw his face and heard his energetic voice every time you walked through the front door. Without Jerry’s presence, it was probably hard for some of you to know what was next. Now that Jerry has made a remarkable recovery and fully announced his retirement, he will be able to enjoy time with his family, travel again, and even drive!
While you won’t see him around the clinic, you will see his presence. He has mentored each one of us with a strong message that people matter, relationships matter, and service matters.
Even though we are without Jerry in the office, our staff has actually grown quite a bit this past year or so. We have added 2 new veterinarians (Sophi Franck and Kealie Rogers), 1 new Certified Veterinary Technician (Kendall Moorehead), and 2 new Veterinary Assistants (Harley McHone and Mallory Ulferts).
This past year, we have treated Bald Eagles with lead poisoning, fixed lots of bad knees, started acupuncture therapy, removed some nasty gall bladders (the most recent being Jerry’s little poodle, Gracie), identified a dog with a need for a pacemaker, and fixed many other crazy things our pets get themselves into.
By far the most memorable things for me are those that don’t get to turn the calendar with us. We’ve said goodbye to some amazing pets and clients this year. That part is never easy. It is hard to put into words the honor it is to help a family through one of their most difficult days.
As we look ahead, 2018 will be the beginning of a new adventure for all of us! We have been in the planning phase for a new building for some time now. I am proud to announce we are officially ready to put a shovel in the ground!
With our darn Iowa winters, we have to wait to get started. But by June, you will start to see our project come to life. Watch the lot next to Kimball and Beecher in Waterloo closely (just south of San Marnan not too far from where we are now). This will be the new home of Den Herder Veterinary Hospital in early 2019!
The name will remain the same because we will be bringing our clients and patients the same care, treatment, and service that made the name what it is today. I am excited to invest in our community, our staff, and most importantly, our wonderful clients and patients. I would like to personally thank all of you for the opportunity to serve you. I can’t wait for you to see our new hospital.
As the year ends, we are grateful to have your trust in taking care of your best friends. I truly believe we have one of the best veterinary teams in the state. With a great mix of specialties, strengths, and a team mindset, there isn’t much we can’t do.
On behalf of everyone at Den Herder Veterinary Hospital, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Tom Taylor, DVM
Owner, Den Herder Veterinary Hospital
