Agnes heard my IV alarm and came in to fix it while walking by. She recognized me from when my husband was her patient during the super bowl. I told her I had asked to see a doctor about new swelling in my mouth but hadn’t gotten a response. She found my nurse and helped her. She came back in to let me know the doctor was busy and saw that I was distressed. I was having difficulty swallowing. She got my nurse and they got him to agree to come up. Agnes had her own patients but she saw something was wrong and showed compassion. She felt I was feverish when she first came in the room and touched my arm reassuringly.

That act of kindness led to her advocating for me when I wasn’t doing a good job myself. She got to know me while my husband was here and saw I was calm in that difficult time. She knew my distress was real. While the doctor asked if I was an anxious person, Agnes knew my high blood pressure and pulse were medical. Her trust in me and her compassion helped get me to the ICU where I was given care that kept me safe.