The short version is that you have a nurse manager from 9A named Denyse Pitak who is the model care team member walking the halls of TGH. She represents every good quality our combined institutions should demonstrate and she does so with ease, grace, and sincerity.

The long version: My mother was in town from out of state primarily to see a physician for her pulmonary issues (chronic cough, breathing issues, and fatigue). During her stay with me, she took a fall that resulted in a compression fracture. Dr. A brought my mom in for a simple kyphosis procedure but could not proceed because infectious disease discovered three separate infections. Those infections combined with her pulmonary fibrosis resulted in a shift from "helping" her to palliative care. During my mother's extended stay on 9A, Denyse and her team were extraordinary. I don't have all the nurses' names to share, but those under Denyse's supervision demonstrated incredible professionalism, compassion, and care.

Allow me to share a few specific examples that stand out and remain with me since my mother's passing:

• Denyse would come early to check on my mom and call the nursing station every evening at 10 pm for updates. If I wasn't bedside, she would call or text me with detailed information.

• Denyse knew when my mom was in extraordinary pain and got directly involved with necessary attendings.

• Denyse would personally feed meals to my mom when I was not available to help and if the food was not agreeable, she purchased meals herself.

• When we determined it was time to move my mom to Hospice out of state, I made arrangements with a local Air ICU company and then handed off the paperwork to the social and case workers (Friday afternoon). Denyse personally followed up and came to work both Saturday and Sunday to implore them to help.

• Sunday morning, Denyse was bedside at 7 am with breakfast to say goodbye. The social workers had challenges with the Air ICU team and we almost lost the flight. Denyse willed things to happen; she got the Palliative care Attending to communicate with the receiving Hospice (remember, this is Sunday morning); she had her nurses coordinate with the receiving nurses, and most importantly, she managed my mom's pain for five hours while all of the paperwork was completed. I don't know what we would have done without her.

• Once relocated out of state, Denyse would call the Hospice nursing station daily and ask about my mom's condition. She would even give them tips on what mom liked to eat and how to keep her comfortable. The nurses were amazed that someone who only knew my mom for less than two weeks could care so much.

A few days before passing, I called Denyse and put her on speakerphone. When I asked my mom if she recognized the voice, her response was, "Don't be ridiculous. Do you think I wouldn't know my guardian Angel? That is my Denyse."

If you have read this far, thank you for your time. I hope you remember that I am pretty discerning when it comes to recognizing talent. I have spent time in 13+ Departments/Divisions across a tertiary/quaternary care teaching hospital and Denyse makes my top-five list every time.