There is a lot I could say about Erika’s care before, during, and after the surgery. Probably the most important thing is the fact that somehow, she figured out exactly what my family and I needed and she provided it in a very caring, compassionate, and professional manner. All of this was on top of the medical care that she flawlessly provided.

Here is a little more background. I am 68 years old, in very good shape for my age, had a heart attack/stent in 2019, took my rehab and lifestyle changes very seriously, and have none of the risk factors associated with heart disease. In June I came into Grafton for a heart catheterization. As it turned out, they would not let me go home. I was scheduled for open heart surgery two days later. I was having serious trouble understanding what I did wrong and how I was going to avoid needing more heart procedures in the future. When Erika asked me “how I was doing?” I said, “physically I am good, mentally I am a basket case.” At this point Erika spent 45 minutes talking with me, listening to my story, and sharing perspectives to help me understand genetics, she helped me understand that sometimes we can do everything right and things still happen. Even though I understand genetics, she helped me to understand better, using great examples, that there are things we just don’t control. Somehow when she left my room that morning, I was much more at ease mentally than I had been for most of the previous two days.

Even though I was doing better after the discussion, mentally I was still processing all the information and coming to grips with the fact that a very talented surgeon was going to stop my heart and redo the “plumbing.” I needed to get some exercise to clear my head and Erika let me walk. Following the path outlined by Erika, I did laps around the ICU. All the while she monitored my vitals and stopped me on occasion to make sure I was feeling ok. Honestly, I REALLY needed that. All morning she kept my family and me up to do on the progress of the surgery before me to make sure everyone knew when mine was going to happen.

During the surgery, Erika kept my family up to date on the progress and after the surgery was complete, she also kept them up to date on the removal of the breathing tube. When the tube was out, she strongly suggested that my wife go home and get some rest. This is a great example of caring for the whole family and not just the patient!

After the surgery, Erika obviously had a lot of work to do. In every case she did what she had to do flawlessly, always telling me what she was doing and why. That was very reassuring. While she was doing her work, she was telling me what to expect from my recovery and how it would likely progress. In hindsight, everything she said was right on the money. Each day she told me what was scheduled for the day and made sure I got all my walks in.

Erika is obviously a great nurse and she demonstrated that every day with her attention to detail and compassion in caring for me. However, I could put up a really good argument that she is an even better person. The time she took listening, and the information she shared about the process, about the surgery, and about the recovery were spot on. I really appreciated it and needed all of it!

There is one final thing I would like to mention that she did that made a huge difference. I believe that the natural tendency, at least with people I know, is that they tell a sick person not to worry, you will be ok. That is nice but not overly meaningful. She did not say that. Instead, she said, “this surgery was designed for people like you, you got this!” Honestly, that statement made a HUGE difference. Every time my emotions started to get the best of me, I reminded myself that I GOT THIS! And even as I go through rehab, I just keep telling myself, I got this! The power of three simple words is amazing!

One final note about my health, I am doing really well. Shortly after leaving the hospital, I stopped all pain meds including Tylenol. I started outpatient rehab and am going three times per week. So far, I got this! Again, she nailed it and I believe her care, and the care of the entire staff helped me to heal as rapidly as possible.