One of the things we saw during our reporting trip to rural Alabama is how hospitals are vital for local economies. We learned last week that the U.S. economy added another 35,000 jobs in heathcare in the month of May, which continues a strong hiring trend.But local economies miss out on that if their hospitals close — like in the town of Thomasville. It lost its only hospital almost two years ago.What has that meant for the community?We asked Nichole Stinson, director at the public library, which is also a career readiness center. She was among those we met in Alabama with very personal stories about this.Nichole Stinson: It was great. I know this facility — my youngest son, it came in handy when he had an emergency. He was probably, I think, 2. And he's actually in there today, in my office. I told him to hide … Easton?Kimberly Adams: Oh, hi!Stinson: Daycare called, he just started running a fever, and I needed to come get him. So I immediately left, went and got him. His fever was rising. Got him in the car seat. We were headed back home, and I noticed his eyes were open, but he was not responsive. Because I was trying to talk to him, make sure he was OK. So I immediately did a U-turn, went straight to the hospital, and that was probably one of the scariest things, because he was not …Adams: I can tell you’re shaking a little bit just retelling the story. That must have been terrifying. Stinson: That was probably one of the hardest things I've ever done, is carry his limp body into the ER.Adams: Oh my god, I’m so sorry. That sounds awful. Stinson: And he was in that seizure for over 45 minutes, even after the medicine they gave him to come out of it.Adams: Did they tell you what might have happened if you'd had to delay care?Stinson: We didn't talk about that.Adams: Didn't want to know.Stinson: Because it was already, yeah, it was already very stressful.Adams: Yeah, well, I'm glad that the hospital was there then.Stinson: Me, too.Adams: Your friends, family members who've needed emergency care since then, what have you heard from them?Stinson: So, a lot of what we do is you end up calling somebody or texting somebody that is a nurse. And so actually, one of my employees, he's a minor, but his dad is a nurse. And his dad, I have called him to stitch us up when we think something is wrong, and that's pretty common. One of the local nurse practitioners, I text him anytime there's a something a little bit more serious. And they've kind of stepped up.Adams: That's wild, though. It's sort of like at-home healthcare.Stinson: Yeah. Which, I mean …. they're not, I guess, advertising it. But, yeah. They are there for their friends and family.