Medical center offers 'Thanksgiving therapy' through meals for patients, family

At 11:30 a.m., an anxious Hilary Goodfriend darted by. There was a slight mix-up in dietary, the recreational therapist said. The turkeys and sides weren't quite ready for transport.

But minutes later -- drawing aahs from patients and staff alike -- two 20-pound birds and a 10-pound ham rolled in on huge carts, along with mashed potatoes, collard greens, carrots, sweet potatoes, gravy and cranberry sauce.

Thus began the 33rd annual holiday feast Tuesday on Nassau University Medical Center's fifth floor, where patients come to recover from injuries, falls or the debilitating effects of strokes and other diseases.

Call it Thanksgiving therapy.

Linda Walsh, director of therapeutic recreation, said the tradition started three decades ago to give patients a taste of therapy with the holiday.

"It's a way to teach patients to do what they used to do; a way of normalization while they're in the hospital," she said. The tradition has since spread, with nine Thanksgiving dinners now being served over two days on various floors, from the psychiatric units to pediatrics.

Two dozen patients and family members dined in style Tuesday, seated at a long table. Two doctors formed the band: Adam Isaacson, a rehabilitation specialist, on electric piano, and second-year rehabilitation resident Yousef Chowdhry, on acoustic guitar.

As they played Van Morrison's "Brown-eyed Girl," Jason Mraz's "I'm Yours" and other modern classics, NUMC chief executive Dr. Victor Politi carved the turkeys, quipping that his training was in emergency medicine, not surgery.

Staff soon dashed around handing out plastic plates filled with so much food they sagged in the middle.

In addition to the ample provisions cooked by the hospital, a dozen other dishes were brought in by employees, including biscuits baked by the chair of physical medicine and rehabilitation, Dr. Lyn Weiss. There was also a quinoa casserole with mushrooms, platters of cornbread, cranberry-pineapple-pecan relish -- and so many desserts, they filled a room.

For the patients, many in wheelchairs, it was a welcome -- if faintly bittersweet -- reminder of normalcy.

Francis Cloonan, 90, of East Meadow, surrounded by his wife, daughter, son and stepdaughter, appeared to enjoy the attention Tuesday as much as the feasting. The former NYPD officer and contractor suffered a stroke Oct. 5 and has been in rehab ever since.

As his daughter, Mary Brainerd, a nurse from Santa Rosa, California, held his right hand, he fed himself with his left -- something he hadn't been able to do immediately after the stroke.

Brainerd praised her father's care -- as did her brother, Bill Cloonan of Jericho.

"It's been so super, above and beyond," he said. "I'm blown away -- really, really."

John Boesenberg, 58, of Pocono Lake, Pennsylvania, also hailed his care and the holiday spread. He ended up in the hospital several weeks ago after he had a stroke while visiting his 90-year-old mother in Hicksville.

He had no plans for the holiday but was excited at the prospect of going home Wednesday.

"Any time you get to go outside, it's a better thing," he said.

John Merkis, 57, of Levittown, wasn't as fortunate. For him, Thanksgiving would be spent in the hospital.

Merkis, who uses a wheelchair because of multiple sclerosis, said he was at NUMC to regain some mobility. "They kind of rebuild me," he said.

As for Tuesday's special meal, he confessed to not being a turkey man -- to which several uneaten slices on his plate bore witness.

"Sides are good though," he said. "It's better than hospital food."

Tom Trimboli, 83, of East Meadow, looked glumly at his tray of pureed food while everyone else at the table munched away.

Florence, his wife of 62 years, said he had difficulty swallowing because of his Parkinson's disease. But they both perked up as they talked about him getting out of the hospital later that day.

Florence said she bought the Thanksgiving food, and her daughter was doing the cooking.

"That reminds me," she said. "I should have taken out the turkey breast."