Worried about his dog, a DeLand patient finds unexpected help from hospital nurses

DELAND, Fla. — Even as Ted DeGuzman struggled to breathe, his mind kept coming back to one thing: Luna.

The Siberian husky and pit bull mix is more than a pet. She’s DeGuzman’s companion, his emotional support and the only family he has nearby.

When he was taken by ambulance to AdventHealth DeLand, Luna was left behind at home and at the center of his worry.

“She’s the only family I have right now,” said DeGuzman, 57, who recently moved to DeLand from California. “I kept thinking, who’s taking care of her? Is she OK?”

Not long after moving to Florida, DeGuzman began experiencing a persistent cough and shortness of breath.

“I’ve always been active,” he said. “So, when I couldn’t catch my breath, it was scary.”

When his symptoms worsened, he called 911.

At AdventHealth DeLand, he was taken to the emergency department, where he was diagnosed with pneumonia and admitted to the hospital’s progressive care unit.

With no close contacts nearby, DeGuzman had no way to check on Luna.

“I felt helpless,” he said.

As his care team worked to treat his illness, his worry grew. After unsuccessful attempts to reach neighbors, DeGuzman began considering leaving the hospital against medical advice. That’s when the nursing team stepped in.

Using the Rover app, they arranged for someone to care for Luna while DeGuzman remained in the hospital.

“We know how stressful it can be when you are in the hospital and worried about someone at home,” said Sean Smith, a registered nurse in the progressive care unit.

For DeGuzman, it showed that the staff cared about what was most important to him.

“When they told me they found someone, it took a huge weight off me,” he said.

With that concern eased, DeGuzman was able to stay and complete his treatment.

Over the next several days, his breathing improved, and his strength returned.

“It made me feel like I was in good hands,” he said. “Like I was going to get better.”

DeGuzman has since returned home and continues to recover with Luna by his side.

What stays with him most is not only the care he received, but the way his concerns were taken seriously.

“They made me feel at home,” DeGuzman said. “Like I mattered.”