A strong sister spirit

HURON — Whether it's chilling on the beach at sea level or skydiving out of a plane from several thousand feet above, no matter the setting, they thoroughly enjoy each other's company. But three sisters, including two twins, most appreciate seeing one another when unexpectedly crossing paths down their hospital's hallways. Through a quick message of encouragement or even just a quick "sibling stare," these short meetups always provide long-lasting feelings of confidence, support and, above all else, love. Moral support offered between them plays a crucial role, they said, when helping their patients overcome life-threatening illnesses amid a global pandemic. To commemorate National Sisters Day, on Sunday, Aug. 1, the Register spoke with three siblings — Huron residents Allie, Jessica and Sarah Carroll, the daughters of Lisa and Tom— who all work at Firelands Regional Medical Center in Sandusky. They each serve on the frontlines, protecting people from COVID-19 and other infectious diseases. Each answered a series of questions so others could best understand their roles in health care, how the pandemic motivates them and what sisterhood truly means for each: 1. What is your tie to the local area? 2. What is your job title, place of occupation and primary roles? 3. Why did you get into the medical field? 4. When factoring in the pandemic, how have the past 18 to 24 months been for you? 5. Because of COVID-19, has your motivation to work in the health care field changed? 6. What do you want people to know about this virus and your role in protecting people? 7. How close are you to your two sisters? 8. What message would you like to send to your sisters? Allie Carroll 1. Huron High School Class of 2012 2. She's a "registered nurse at Firelands Regional Medical Center for just over five years, working in the post-anesthesia care unit, also known as the recovery room, I am responsible for providing care for patients recovering from anesthesia." 3. "From a very young age, I always had an interest in the medical field, and my parents would often find me watching 'Trauma: Life in the ER' or other medical shows. I have a passion for helping and teaching others, so becoming a nurse seemed like a perfectly natural fit. I also had, and still have, some medical issues, and I think the extra doctor visits and testing sparked my interest even more so." 4. "The past 18 to 24 months at work have been challenging, as we all have had to continuously adapt to new situations and the unknowns of COVID." 5. "My motivation to work in the health care field and treat patients over the last 18 to 24 months has remained the same. As with anything in life, one is going to be faced with situations that are challenging and overwhelming at times, and this was one of those times. Apart from wearing all of the protective garb and navigating changing policies at the hospital, the care never changed. We may have had a couple extra hoops to jump through, but, as a whole, we — all health care workers — came together even stronger to assist patients during their healing process as well as each other." 6. "I would like to thank everyone for thanking health care workers during this time. It truly means a lot. In some way or another, COVID has affected an aspect of everyone's life either directly or indirectly. On a positive note, I enjoyed seeing how the Firelands team and community pulled together during this time." 7. "I would say my sisters and I are pretty close, but those two are closer. It has to be a twin thing. It is also nice to all work together in the same hospital — although we often confuse patients and other staff because we all look similar — and be able to have our 'nurse talk' after a long day with other people that can relate. There have been times I've had people come up to me and say, 'Didn't I just see you on another floor?' or 'OK, which one are you?' As children, teenagers and adults, we've always enjoyed going to the beach, Cedar Point and traveling to new places." 8. "I would like both of my sisters to know that they have a lot of family and friends that are proud of them and cheering them on in their master's program. Between working, clinicals and all of their classes being switched to an online platform, they have succeeded thus far." Jessica Carroll 1. Huron High School Class of 2015 2. She's a "registered nurse at Firelands Regional Medical Center, currently working on 4 North, the medical-surgical adult and pediatric floor. I have been a nurse for almost four years. Sarah and I are currently studying to be family nurse practitioners at the University of Toledo. We will be graduating in May 2022." 3. "I have always been drawn to the medical field and caring for others. I want to give back to the community and touch the lives of others." 4. "The past 18 to 24 months at work have been challenging, however, with the support of my family, friends and co-workers, it has been manageable." 5. "My desire to work in the health care field over the past 18 to 24 months has increased. I love nursing and using my skills/knowledge to advance health care delivery." 6. "COVID-19 has been a challenging time for everyone. Stay positive, and we will all make it through this together." 7. "I am extremely close with my sisters and have been since a young age. I admire having the opportunity to work alongside both of them. It always puts a smile on my face when I see them in the hallways. Growing up, we loved to spend time at the beach, and we still do to this day. We also enjoy going to the gym together and spending time with our family, friends and dogs." 8. "Allie and Sarah are the best sisters I could ask for. Allie is 2.5 years older than Sarah and I. I would describe Allie as a leader. Sarah and I both look up to her. Sarah is my twin sister and, oftentimes, we are inseparable. I am grateful to have the opportunity to work side by side with both of my sisters in my profession. They are both great nurses, and I can't wait to see where life takes them." Sarah Carroll 1. Huron High School Class of 2015 2. "I have been in the health care field for five years. I am currently employed as a registered nurse at Firelands Regional Medical Center where I care for patients on a progressive care unit. Progressive care is an intermediate unit that falls between intensive care and medical-surgical." 3. "In high school, I took my first anatomy and physiology class. I was amazed by the complexity of the human body and how everything works collectively to keep us healthy. I have always loved to learn, and it immediately became my favorite course. I knew that I wanted to work in health care from that point on. I wanted to become a nurse so that I could use my knowledge to help educate and motivate others to improve their health." 4. "The pandemic caused a lot of uncertainty in the workplace. No week was the same as the next, and it became stressful at times. At the end of the day, as a nurse, you just want the best outcomes for your patients and their families. You lean on your co-workers and your team to make that happen despite the circumstances. I was lucky enough to have my sisters by my side as well." 5. "My motivation to work in health care has remained the same over the past 18 months. Health care is not always predictable, but I think that's part of the beauty of it. We have the opportunity to work with patients from all walks of life and in all situations. As in any profession, overcoming challenges and adapting makes you a better nurse. It makes you better equipped to care for others down the road." 6. "I'd like everyone to know how much we appreciate the support we've received. So many individuals reached out to check on us as health care workers, provide encouragement and wish us kind words." 7. "I would say that my sisters and I are very close. We share a lot of similarities, especially my twin and me. As kids, we spent a lot of time swimming at the lake, riding bikes, running around the yard with our dogs or ice skating on the pond. We still love the beach but also enjoy making new memories together nowadays. We went skydiving for the first time together a few years ago, and we continue to find new ways to enjoy each other's company." 8. "It's nice when I am having a rough day at work, and I run into one of my sisters in the hallway. It turns your day around. It's funny when I meet people who work on my sisters' units for the first time. They'll say something like, 'You remind me of someone I know.' Furthermore, it's nice to bounce ideas back and forth with them. I can always rely on my sisters when I have a question about a postoperative patient, and they can come to me with other questions."