Angels at the Door

How Sylvia Calloway Found Her Way Back With Good Sam’s Home Health

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When Sylvia Calloway reflects on the past year, one word comes to mind again and again: angels.

Some arrived wearing scrubs. Some showed up with casseroles and open doors. One drove back and forth across state lines to check on his mother.

And one walked through the door with a warm smile and introduced herself simply as Stephanie.

At 81, Sylvia has lived a life rooted in resilience, faith, and connection. After retiring from a career in housing authority management, she never quite slowed down. Today, she works at the front desk of a local funeral home, greeting visitors and often becoming the first voice people hear in one of life’s hardest moments.

“It’s a family business, and I love it,” Sylvia says. “Everybody knows me.”

Offering comfort to others has always come naturally to her, but in late 2024, she began experiencing persistent pain in her lower abdomen. Doctor visits turned into repeated trips to the emergency room. Week after week, the discomfort worsened until imaging finally revealed the problem. Sylvia needed emergency surgery.

The operation went well, and the diagnosis was not cancerous, bringing immense relief. Still, the recovery was difficult. After a week in the hospital, the question became where she would go next.

“I said I didn’t want to go to a nursing home,” Sylvia recalls.

Instead, friends from church opened their home to her. Sylvia hesitated, but their invitation was genuine. She moved into a guest suite where she could rest and recover, surrounded by people who cared deeply about her.

Her son, Randal, became another steady presence, driving from Raleigh as often as he could to check on her. His visits brought reassurance during a time when even small tasks felt overwhelming.

And then one more person arrived at the door.

Stephanie Housh, a registered nurse with Good Samaritan Home Health, introduced herself and explained she would help guide Sylvia through recovery. Sylvia admits she had only associated Good Samaritan with hospice care. She hadn’t realized they also provided home health services designed to help people recover safely at home.

For Sylvia, that care quickly became something more personal.

“From the time she walked in the door, she had a smile on her face,” Sylvia says. “She was just a joy to be around. She made you feel comfortable. That’s my angel.”

Stephanie remembers the same first impression.

“Sylvia is warm and inviting,” she says. “Even when she was hurting, she had this joyful spirit.”

Over the following weeks, Sylvia returned home, supported by Stephanie and the Good Samaritan Home Health team. Nurses monitored her recovery while therapy helped her rebuild strength and mobility.

But what stood out most wasn’t just the medical care. It was how Stephanie showed up.

Each visit began with a conversation. She listened, answered questions, and made sure Sylvia felt confident in every step forward.

“She just took her time with me,” Sylvia says. “Her way of talking to you was so caring. That’s a lot of healing.”

For Sylvia, that personal approach made all the difference. She had seen other forms of care before. Sometimes caregivers seemed distant or rushed. Stephanie was different.

“She rolled up her sleeves and jumped right in,” Sylvia says. “She didn’t act like she didn’t want to be there.”

Recovery came not just through treatment, but through the rhythm of everyday life. Evenings spent watching college basketball, laughing with her friends, slowly rebuilding strength. Being in a home environment, Sylvia believes, helped her heal faster.

“You’re getting personal attention,” she says. “And being in your own surroundings means a lot.”

From the beginning, Sylvia had one goal. She wanted her life back. She wanted to drive again, walk without assistance, and return to the job she loved.

“I want to get well and get back on my feet,” she told her care team.

That determination carried her through six weeks of home health visits. Gradually, the walker was no longer needed. Then the cane disappeared. Strength returned. Confidence followed.

Before long, Sylvia was back at the funeral home, greeting visitors with the same warmth she had always offered.

Today, a year after her surgery, she is still working, still driving, and still living life with purpose. She and Stephanie keep in touch through texts and photos, and a plant Sylvia gave her now sits in Stephanie’s office, three times its original size.

Looking back, Sylvia sees her recovery as the result of people showing up at the right time. A doctor who looked deeper. Friends who opened their home. A son who kept showing up. A nurse who brought compassion into every visit.

For Sylvia, healing is about more than medicine. It is about people taking the time to truly care.

Every morning, she wakes up grateful.

“I’m thankful I can still do for myself,” she says. “You all helped put me back on my feet.”

And if someone asks her about Good Sam’s home health care, she doesn’t hesitate.

Because when someone takes the time to understand you, not just as a patient but as a person, healing has a way of finding you.