I was taken to the Emergency Room at Homestead Hospital suffering from an Incarcerated Inguinal Hernia. I went straight from the emergency room into surgery, where I had a hernia repair/bowel obstruction resection. I was then admitted to the hospital, where I remained for one week on the 4th floor.
Ana stood out like a beacon amongst her peers. There is no way I can begin to explain to you the depth of Ana's kindness and compassion. From the moment I first met her, I knew she was a special human being. I was scared, and in the worst pain that I had ever been in in my life. Now, I know that to hospital personnel, that is routine and almost second nature. However, to me, to the patients you are caring for, it was my life. To me it was not "routine." This amazing woman is obviously a very skilled and qualified nurse. More importantly, she is caring and kind. In addition, she possesses a very rare quality indeed for the medical profession: empathy.
Ana went about her work in a quiet and unassuming manner, but always anticipating my every need. She was not too proud to help me clean up after an accident, or to change my sheets. She helped me to and from the bathroom, and to ensure that I was not in pain any longer than necessary. When I was suffering from nausea and dizziness and delirium caused by the pain medications, it was Ana who, without being asked, would bring me cold compresses for my forehead and ice packs for the wounds. She would comfort me when I was in pain.
Ana helped me to get up and walk when the thought of even trying to get out of bed was too much for me to bear, when all I wanted to do was to give up. She wouldn't let me; she always exuding a calm, yet firm manner, gently urging me and giving me the strength to go a little further. Ana always encouraged me, telling me that I was going to get better and stronger every day. Through it all, she remained kind, caring, and comforting. Never once did she demonstrate any impatience, frustration, exasperation, or irritation.
Ana is the epitome of what a nurse should be! I know the true beauty of her soul. In this day and age where empathy, kindness, and human comfort can be sorely lacking, along comes a nurse with a heart of gold and an inestimable capacity to care! Ana, to a large extent, has renewed my faith in the medical profession and has proven to me that every human being is capable of infinite compassion and kindness. She is proficient, skilled, and knowledgeable. She is a compassionate human being who takes such incredible care of her patients without a second thought to herself. Ana will never know how much she has touched my life and how very instrumental she was in my recovery, but I know, and I will never forget her. I am planning a visit to the hospital once my recuperation is complete to see Ana, give her a hug and offer her my heartfelt gratitude for helping me in my darkest moments and for being so instrumental in my recovery, both physical and psychological.