From Caring for Others to Being Cared For: A Nurse’s Journey at MarinHealth
For 24 years, Cathy Corey, RN, dedicated her days to caring for others at MarinHealth, first as a nurse in the Cardiac Specialty Unit, and later as a Clinical Nurse Manager overseeing Pre-Op, Endoscopy, PACU, and Pre-Admission. After 42 remarkable years in nursing, Cathy retired in 2024, ready to embrace a quieter pace filled with gardening, cooking, quilting, reading and spending quality time with her quarter horse Wyatt. Cathy volunteers weekly at a local stable grooming and working with the horses there.
Cathy, who has lived in Petaluma since 2000, loves the blend of open spaces, small-town charm, and proximity to the Sonoma coast and wine country. Retirement brought her back to passions such as spending time with her husband, experimenting with new recipes – much to her sister’s delight as she enjoys teasing Cathy about her constant tweaks – and spending time at a local horse stable with her beloved Wyatt.
Recently, Cathy found herself in an unfamiliar role at MarinHealth – not as a caregiver – but as a patient. After a routine colonoscopy at MarinHealth Gastroenterology revealed a unique polyp requiring surgical removal, Cathy returned to MarinHealth Medical Center for her follow-up care. Initially, the thought of being on the other side of the nursing station made her a little anxious. Yet the experience reaffirmed her confidence in the exceptional care provided at MarinHealth.
Ripple Sharma, MD, FACG, performed Cathy’s original procedure, putting her immediately at ease. Lisa Park, MD, performed the necessary follow-up surgery at MarinHealth Medical Center to remove the polyp. Cathy praised both Dr. Sharma’s and Dr. Park’s professionalism and compassion, qualities her husband also deeply admired during his time accompanying her. "My husband was so impressed," Cathy recalls. "He said I couldn’t have asked for anyone better to be taking care of me."
Colon polyps are small, abnormal growths that form on in the inner lining of the colon (large intestine). While most colon polyps are harmless, some can develop into colon cancer over time. That’s why it’s essential to have regular colonoscopy screenings from age 45 to 75, as recommended by your doctor. During a colonoscopy, colon polyps are routinely removed and biopsied. In Cathy’s case, the polyp discovered by Dr. Sharma required a separate minor surgery performed by Dr. Park.
Cathy emphasizes the importance of routine screenings, admitting with a smile, "I’m a nurse, so of course I was a bad patient and waited until age 64 for my first colonoscopy. But I’m glad I finally did it." Under the thoughtful attention of her care team, Cathy continues her regular check-ups at MarinHealth and is doing well.
Reflecting on her decades of caregiving, Cathy treasures the countless interactions and lives touched through nursing. "It’s mind-boggling when you think about how many people you connect with in 42 years," she said. In retirement, Cathy remains grateful for MarinHealth’s continued growth and affiliation with UCSF, noting how reassuring it is for patients to have world-class care close to home.
Today, as Cathy spends peaceful days with Wyatt, riding and grooming in the quiet of Sonoma County, she remains connected to MarinHealth – a place where she gave so much of herself and where, as a patient, she experienced first-hand the exceptional care she always aimed to deliver.
