IOWA — What began as a routine medical visit turned into an unusual recovery mission at an Iowa hospital.
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Medical staff used teamwork, metal detectors, and even an X-ray machine to recover two irreplaceable family heirlooms accidentally thrown away by a patient, according to CBS affiliate KGAN TV.
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Susan Sinnwell realized the day after her visit that she may have discarded her grandparents’ wedding rings while removing them for an X-ray.
The rings, which had deep sentimental value, were wrapped in a napkin and unknowingly tossed into a trash bin.
“When I threw the napkin away, it sounded funny when it hit the garbage,” Sinnwell said. “But I didn’t think anything of it at the time.”
When hospital staff learned the rings were missing, maintenance crews began tracing the trash’s path. But discovered that the waste had already been compacted and mixed with days’ worth of garbage.
“That’s when we knew it was going to be a big job,” said Craig Buskohl.
Maintenance workers sifted through roughly 50 to 60 trash bags using metal detectors, separating anything that showed a signal.
When that search failed to locate the rings, Buskohl brought in a mobile X-ray unit and set it up in the hospital’s ambulance garage.
Using the portable machine, staff X-rayed bag after bag. After about 35 images and 45 minutes of scanning, the rings finally appeared on screen.
“It was really rewarding,” Buskohl said. “Honestly, I didn’t think we were going to find them — but we did.”
Sinnwell said she was overwhelmed by the effort hospital employees put into the search.
“When he told me how many people helped and everything they did, I just couldn’t believe it,” she said. “This is the best place for care.”
Hospital officials said the recovery reflects their commitment to caring for patients beyond medical treatment.
Both rings were safely returned to Sinnwell.
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