I was fortunate to be placed in Abby’s care last week when I was admitted to the ED with extreme vertigo. It is clear that she was highly skilled and had impeccable technique – the IV she placed didn’t leave a bruise and the insertion site was barely noticeable the next day! While her technical expertise certainly impressed me, it was her manner that left me stunned. I have never before experienced the kindness and compassion she displayed from any medical professional. She helped me feel comfortable having an IV placed for the first time. I have always had a massive phobia of blood draws, IVs, etc. I have always avoided them at almost all costs-even, declining to get care when I probably really needed it. After I described my phobia, Abby shared personal stories and spent time talking with me to know she understood the anxiety that I felt. She helped me understand that she would do everything she could to make the experience as tolerable and pleasant as possible. When I said “thank you” she responded, “I’m just doing my job.” I sincerely disagree. Her job was to place an IV and move on to other patients. Instead, she paused, unwrapped the tourniquet from my arm, and removed the fear and embarrassment I was feeling. What she did was so much more profound than she may have realized at the moment. She did not only bring comfort and confidence to a patient, but she also pulled a thread that significantly unraveled more than 35 years of fear. She provided an encounter that superseded decades of negative conditioning. She turned an experience that could have been packed with anxiety into an experience filled with compassion and comfort. I am pleased to share that, because of her work with me, I had the confidence to get a blood test. I realize that voluntarily getting a blood test doesn’t seem like a big deal. I can assure you that it is for me. It had been five years since my last test, and until I met Abby, I had no intention of subjecting myself to that experience anytime soon. While I certainly never wanted or intended to visit the ED, I feel grateful that I did that night. The words “Thank you” are wholly insufficient to describe how much I appreciate Abby and what she did for me. I am lucky to have met Abby as are all her patients.