I had the pleasure of meeting Audra Hedrick not in the best circumstances. My husband was transferred to your hospital from Fort Wayne, IN. He was in a non responsive status, and passed away after 2 days of being at IU from Acute Liver Failure. Audra treated my husband with such dignity and respect at all times. He never was responsive in IU's care at all. I'd watch her treat him and talk to him, just like he was right with her in her conversation. Even though he wasn't responsive to anything, she treated him with the highest of respect at all times. She treated me with compassion and kindness that reassured me there are still good people in the world and in these worse of circumstances. I knew unless a miracle happened, which could have, he wasn't going to make it.

Audra kept the conversation with me and others always positive. She always took extra steps to go beyond her job duties. I'll never be able to show her how much I greatly appreciated this at all times, but I sure did tell her. She never rushed to leave at the end of her shift, she seemed like she was there for my husband and when she got done with her duty, she'd leave and not because it was time to get off work. I had asked her if we could possibly have my husband shaven before his family came to see him the next day. Most likely knowing it would be the last time they would get to see him actually still alive, even on life support. Didn't surprise me a bit, the next day, seeing my husband looking his very best, hygiene wise. She had him shaved, clean gown, hair washed and combed. Looking wonderful, because not only did it matter to me, but she took a personal request and she chose to have him look his best too, on her own. That means so much to me and always will. That's the image his family remembers, not the life support. I'm forever grateful for the excellent care, Audra gave my husband. Though I didn't get to bring him home, she gave me a personal gift of joy in my heart that can't be replaced because she gave him the best care until his final breath she watched him take with me.

She was very kind to me at all times. Never rushed me and always answered any questions I had or offered something to drink, etc. She also gave me his handprints to bring home in a frame, which meant a lot to that she would go that extra mile for me and him too. What she did for me those final 2 days, there could never be a big enough award for her. She's a special person, beyond being fantastic nurse of excellence.