As a patient, I was in CVICU and this was unplanned. Was I as critical as some other patients, maybe not, but Cora did not treat me any differently. We had a very scary three hours where my nose would not stop bleeding. I was choking up clots and was exhausted as this was the second time that day and the third time that week. I came in for a routine cath with a stent and was not planning on a five-day stay in CVICU. My wife stayed the first night and she helped the nurse who was gracious and appreciative.
At one point, when blood began to come out of my eyes and ears, she could see my wife was getting upset. She took her out of the room, hugged her and reassured her and cried along with her. I felt like I was the most important person to Cora, and she was there just for my needs at a very scary time.
Up until that point, I had no health issues and my life changed with the blink of an eye. Cora's compassion and willingness to make me comfortable made me feel hopeful. I would be back to myself real soon. When the doctor didn't come right away, she called him back and let him know how serious the situation was. She is a great advocate for patients. She was in my room every hour and if I was asleep, she did not wake me. I felt very safe and honored to have her as my nurse.