Annika Midgarden
May 2025
Annika
Midgarden
,
BSN, RN
Outpatient Infusion
UCHealth Poudre Valley Hospital
Fort Collins
United States
I believe Annika is the reason my mom is still alive, because of her knowledge, care, and compassion.
My mom has been coming to the infusion center at PVH every three days for fluids and electrolytes to help keep her alive and hydrated for the last three years due to Chronic Kidney Disease and Crohn’s Disease.
During this time, the nurses on this unit have become family. They understand the complexity of my mom's ongoing health issues and always go above and beyond to make sure we are taken care of. It is because of the care of the nurses at the infusion center that my mom is still alive today, and even more specifically, because of Annika.
Recently, my mom was hospitalized for severe, debilitating sciatica pain, a perforated bowel, and a kidney stone that was passing. During our stay, the surgeons put her on NPO for over six days and assured me they were keeping her stable through IV. She continued to have multiple bowel movements as normal (10–15 a day is her baseline), which was all recorded and relayed to every single doctor on every morning round. This, along with being NPO, eventually led her to deplete her calcium and potassium levels.
One day, she began complaining of tingling in her legs. Four more times throughout the day, my mom complained of tingling. Staff would take her vitals and tell us it was nothing. This led to an event later that day where she became completely rigid, stiff, contorted, and couldn’t speak or breathe. Rapid response was called, and it was the most terrifying event of both our lives. They finally gave her Ativan, which calmed her breathing, but she still had tingling and was completely rigid.
The next day, the tingling was still there. Then Annika came to visit us in our room on the Surgical Unit. The infusion staff was aware that we were admitted, and Annika wanted to check on us. After telling her about the event the day before, Annika immediately suggested that it sounded like a potassium and calcium issue. I then requested a hospitalist to come to our room and asked him to check her potassium and calcium, which were in critical limits. This is what led to the life-threatening event the day before.
After this was brought to their attention, they worked quickly to replenish her electrolytes and bring her values back into a safe range. I believe Annika is the reason my mom is still alive, because of her knowledge, care, and compassion. She is literally our guardian angel.
During this time, the nurses on this unit have become family. They understand the complexity of my mom's ongoing health issues and always go above and beyond to make sure we are taken care of. It is because of the care of the nurses at the infusion center that my mom is still alive today, and even more specifically, because of Annika.
Recently, my mom was hospitalized for severe, debilitating sciatica pain, a perforated bowel, and a kidney stone that was passing. During our stay, the surgeons put her on NPO for over six days and assured me they were keeping her stable through IV. She continued to have multiple bowel movements as normal (10–15 a day is her baseline), which was all recorded and relayed to every single doctor on every morning round. This, along with being NPO, eventually led her to deplete her calcium and potassium levels.
One day, she began complaining of tingling in her legs. Four more times throughout the day, my mom complained of tingling. Staff would take her vitals and tell us it was nothing. This led to an event later that day where she became completely rigid, stiff, contorted, and couldn’t speak or breathe. Rapid response was called, and it was the most terrifying event of both our lives. They finally gave her Ativan, which calmed her breathing, but she still had tingling and was completely rigid.
The next day, the tingling was still there. Then Annika came to visit us in our room on the Surgical Unit. The infusion staff was aware that we were admitted, and Annika wanted to check on us. After telling her about the event the day before, Annika immediately suggested that it sounded like a potassium and calcium issue. I then requested a hospitalist to come to our room and asked him to check her potassium and calcium, which were in critical limits. This is what led to the life-threatening event the day before.
After this was brought to their attention, they worked quickly to replenish her electrolytes and bring her values back into a safe range. I believe Annika is the reason my mom is still alive, because of her knowledge, care, and compassion. She is literally our guardian angel.