August 2024
Annie
McDonald
,
BSN, RN
Critical Care Center
OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony Medical Center
Rockford
,
IL
United States
Annie saw my husband and I standing by the wall, and she could see we were scared. She came up to me and asked me if I needed anything and gave me a big hug and told me T was in good hands and if we have any questions, please feel free to let her know.
When we got to the hospital, the first nurse we met was Molly. When I looked at my son, I was about to lose it. Molly hugged me and told me he was in good hands and if we had any questions or needed anything she would be there for us. Another nurse came up from behind me and hugged me and told me she was here also and I'm going to be praying with you, that nurse was Annie. I want to tell you that there are good caretakers out there and that this is not the first time our family has been through a trauma such as this. In our past experiences, I do not recall having the love and care that these 2 nurses gave to our son.
During our say, we shared a room, separated by a curtain with another young man. This young man did not have any visitors. Molly and Annie would come into his room to tend to him and say the sweetest things to him and they made him feel as though they were his family. It just seemed like they were saying positive things and giving this young man hope. They both were so attentive to him.
Molly was T's nurse and let me tell you, the care that T needed was nonstop around the clock. No sooner had she changed one thing, she would run to the other side to change something else, then give medication in his IVs; then she would be done with T and be checking in on his roommate. She was so attentive. We never saw her stop. If she had to do something for her patients, they came first, and then she would see if we (the family) were okay, but the whole time, she did not stop. I asked her and Annie once how she could see all of this and still be so positive and energetic. And it was basically the same answer - they both love what they do, and the reward is seeing patients walk out of those doors - that’s the best feeling. I have to tell you that not everyone is cut out to do this job, but these two girls you can see really love what they do.
A few days later, T was put in another room, and Molly's first shift was over, she came over to the other side to see T before she went home and checked to see how we were holding up. I also remember when T's breathing tube was taken out, she was off of her shift. We were walking in to see T, and he was hot, and she brought him a fan for his bed and attached it for him. Molly wasn't even his nurse, but she promised him she would look for a fan, and she came through. Annie wasn't T's nurse on the day when we were visiting, and it was a day that we had another scare. Annie saw my husband and I standing by the wall, and she could see we were scared. She came up to me and asked me if I needed anything and gave me a big hug and told me T was in good hands and if we have any questions, please feel free to let her know. Annie would make sure we understood what this machine was doing for him. She would explain everything we needed to know to make sure we understood. Molly and Annie also knew when to make us laugh, and let me tell you, when your baby is going through so much, there are times when you need to laugh.
Our sweet, precious son has a long recovery ahead of him, and we know the only reason he is here is because of God, but we believe God also knows exactly who to send to you, and he knew that in T's and our time of need, God sent Molly and Annie. God doesn't make mistakes. God also guided the surgeon's hands to help. T is so blessed to have all the medical team in the ICU. I remember walking into a visit, and I saw a phone on his pillow. I asked whose phone that was. He told me he wanted to hear some music, so when Molly came back in, she played the songs he wanted to hear and left him her phone so he could listen to music. If you only knew how much he loves music. They always had the right thing to say, even when T was out of it and didn't know what was going on they would say encouraging things to him, tell him, "T you're going to be all right," squeeze his hand, touch his hair, and just talk to sweetly to him.
Again, I have seen good nurses but not like Molly and Annie. They both went above and beyond anything and everything they could for their patients. Molly and Annie, I pray for God's blessings over you both and your families. We are all thankful for everything you've done for our son and for us. You have touched our lives, and you will always be in our prayers and in our hearts. Keep doing what you’re doing because there are a lot of people who are going to need and be blessed by both of you. We love you both so much.
During our say, we shared a room, separated by a curtain with another young man. This young man did not have any visitors. Molly and Annie would come into his room to tend to him and say the sweetest things to him and they made him feel as though they were his family. It just seemed like they were saying positive things and giving this young man hope. They both were so attentive to him.
Molly was T's nurse and let me tell you, the care that T needed was nonstop around the clock. No sooner had she changed one thing, she would run to the other side to change something else, then give medication in his IVs; then she would be done with T and be checking in on his roommate. She was so attentive. We never saw her stop. If she had to do something for her patients, they came first, and then she would see if we (the family) were okay, but the whole time, she did not stop. I asked her and Annie once how she could see all of this and still be so positive and energetic. And it was basically the same answer - they both love what they do, and the reward is seeing patients walk out of those doors - that’s the best feeling. I have to tell you that not everyone is cut out to do this job, but these two girls you can see really love what they do.
A few days later, T was put in another room, and Molly's first shift was over, she came over to the other side to see T before she went home and checked to see how we were holding up. I also remember when T's breathing tube was taken out, she was off of her shift. We were walking in to see T, and he was hot, and she brought him a fan for his bed and attached it for him. Molly wasn't even his nurse, but she promised him she would look for a fan, and she came through. Annie wasn't T's nurse on the day when we were visiting, and it was a day that we had another scare. Annie saw my husband and I standing by the wall, and she could see we were scared. She came up to me and asked me if I needed anything and gave me a big hug and told me T was in good hands and if we have any questions, please feel free to let her know. Annie would make sure we understood what this machine was doing for him. She would explain everything we needed to know to make sure we understood. Molly and Annie also knew when to make us laugh, and let me tell you, when your baby is going through so much, there are times when you need to laugh.
Our sweet, precious son has a long recovery ahead of him, and we know the only reason he is here is because of God, but we believe God also knows exactly who to send to you, and he knew that in T's and our time of need, God sent Molly and Annie. God doesn't make mistakes. God also guided the surgeon's hands to help. T is so blessed to have all the medical team in the ICU. I remember walking into a visit, and I saw a phone on his pillow. I asked whose phone that was. He told me he wanted to hear some music, so when Molly came back in, she played the songs he wanted to hear and left him her phone so he could listen to music. If you only knew how much he loves music. They always had the right thing to say, even when T was out of it and didn't know what was going on they would say encouraging things to him, tell him, "T you're going to be all right," squeeze his hand, touch his hair, and just talk to sweetly to him.
Again, I have seen good nurses but not like Molly and Annie. They both went above and beyond anything and everything they could for their patients. Molly and Annie, I pray for God's blessings over you both and your families. We are all thankful for everything you've done for our son and for us. You have touched our lives, and you will always be in our prayers and in our hearts. Keep doing what you’re doing because there are a lot of people who are going to need and be blessed by both of you. We love you both so much.