My husband, P, was hospitalized in for an infection, following recent surgery on his knee. During this hospitalization, Ashlea immediately became his favorite nurse as she teased him and made him feel "normal". He was able to "cut up" with her and talk about things other than illness. Ashlea and care manager, B, even coaxed the surgeon into teasing my husband about needing a rectal tube, NG tube, and foley cath. P was able to relax and laugh which helped him cope with begin hospitalized.

After he was discharged from the hospital, he spoke so highly of Ashlea and we should have completed one of these forms then but didn't (which is horrible of us). P was then rehospitalized, as his infection continued and worsened. By the Grace of God, Ashlea was his nurse again during this second hospitalization. He texted me saying "I've got that crazy nurse again" and I knew immediately God had a role in this staffing assignment. Ashlea was an absolute God-send and I will credit her with saving my husband's life.

During the previous weeks (since his first hospitalization), P became despondent, depressed and stopped eating, which caused him to lose 25 pounds in less than four weeks. He became concerned he may be becoming addicted to the pain medication so he refused to take anything more than Aleve, even though he was in severe pain all of the time. This caused him to be so miserable and angry, due to the pain and grieving of all that he could no longer do. P had been a very active man, working in a maintenance department, and assisting with coaching a local youth football team, as well as hunting, fishing, and boating in his spare time.

This injury and infection caused him to be in constant pain, and he literally spent all of his time on the couch, in a dark room, watching television and sleeping. It was an awful time and our new "normal". I mentioned to Ashlea, during P's second hospitalization that I was very worried about him and wanted to discuss an anti-depressant with the surgeon, or perhaps P's PCP. Ashlea stated she noticed a huge difference in his attitude from the first hospitalization to the second hospitalization and had already made plans to discuss it with the surgeon when he came to the floor.

Ashlea then began talking to P, with concern, compassion, and facts, and through this education, and a bit of a 'come-to-Jesus' method, P began to respond to her again and really did start to believe that things could and would get better again. He and I both appreciate Ashlea so very much and feel that she is so deserving of this recognition, and so much more. She is a great nurse and is saving lives.