Cristan Alcantara
December 2023
Cristan
Alcantara
,
RN
Emergency Department
Petaluma Valley Hospital
Petaluma
,
CA
United States

 

 

 

Eventually, we were brought into a room and learned that my husband's heart had stopped. I later learned that it was Cristan who administered CPR and brought my husband back to life.
I first met Cristan in the Petaluma Valley Hospital ER when my husband had a seizure in July of 2023. She was very kind, informative, and very respectful towards my husband. She kept me well-informed throughout my visit, and overall, she made me feel less afraid and nervous while waiting in the ER that day. While there, Cristan walked me through my husband's progress, and she was incredibly kind and caring toward us. She seemed to have a gentle spirit, and I really appreciated her loving care of my husband that day.

At that time, I had no idea that Cristan would one day save my husband's life.

Months later, my husband was struggling to breathe, and he had been sick through the night. We called the paramedics and ended up at Petaluma Valley Emergency Room again.

I was very worried, and then I saw Cristan- she immediately put me at ease. She let me hold his hand and explained why his blood pressure was very low. He struggled to breathe, and eventually, I had to step out and let them put a breathing tube in to help him breathe. 

I stepped out to the lobby of the hospital, and in a very short time, I heard them calling a Code Blue. We looked through the small window, and we saw that all the doctors were working in my husband's room. We were terrified! Eventually, we were brought into a room and learned that my husband's heart had stopped. I later learned that it was Cristan who administered CPR and brought my husband back to life.

My husband is now home with us, and we are counting our blessings this Thanksgiving. We are incredibly grateful to Cristan for her skill and expertise, which allowed her to revive my husband's heart and ultimately save him. It is hard to adequately express our gratitude and appreciation for Cristan and the entire ER team who saved his life at PVH. Cristan is a true hero and deserves the DAISY Award. We are forever grateful to her and her team.