The doctor said, "Your wound was one of the worst we've ever seen." Those words strike terror in the hearts of most people, and I'm no stranger to healing since undergoing a proctocolectomy several years ago. My current surgery was to correct a hernia behind my stoma to the opposite side of the abdomen. But despite the best efforts of my outstanding surgeon and surgical team, something went horribly wrong.
Within days, the skin and tissue across my abdomen was dying and my body was morphing into mountains, fissures, and tunnels of dying flesh. Thus, the ominous words, "worst we've ever seen." But, when words are spoken by an angel, you miraculously aren't terrified, and I wasn't. Dana Hail is such an angel. When even the doctors couldn't figure out a way to affix the wound vac and dressing to my rapidly deteriorating abdomen, Dana found a way. Her gentle hands not only attached the dressing, but they also soothed me, my very soul.
Dana connected with me, sharing in a caring, human way. The entire time that we talked and shared about our lives she was distracting me from the process at hand. Dana was also reassuring me with her calm and her true love for patients. Dana didn't look at me as a task, but she looked into my eyes and gave me such peace that I was not afraid. Dana not only changed my life; she literally saved my life.