I checked into Providence for an operation for prostate cancer. The surgery lasted four hours and was successful. However, I did encounter some drama and trauma after I was moved to the surgery unit. I did not react well to pain meds, and eventually, stopped breathing and had no heartbeat or pulse. Fortunately, the CPR Team, led by Emily Chow, the charge nurse, sped down the hall with her "crash cart" and promptly administered vigorous chest compressions, fracturing two ribs and puncturing a lung. Miraculously, I came back to life and was able to answer some basic questions. I ended up in the ICU with a chest tube to heal the lung.
Since I wasn't conscious during those vital seconds of crisis, I was determined to track down Emily. On the evening of Thanksgiving, she came to my hospital room. My wife, daughter, and son were with me. When Emily arrived, I gently hugged her and gratefully thanked her for fracturing my ribs, puncturing my lunch, and SAVING MY LIFE! Her response? "I was just doing my job". She said she had worked on a mannequin in nurses training, but I was her first human patient. Incredible! She was the crucial center of gratitude, and we celebrated my new life together. A most memorable Thanksgiving.