Intensive Care nurse, Gabriel, went above and beyond the call of duty taking care of my husband (and me). After 3 bypasses and an aortic valve replacement, my husband had problems with his lungs and was intubated for 5 days. My husband was totally out of it and had no idea of what was going on even after he was extubated for several days. He was in ICU for almost three weeks and out of those three weeks, Gabriel was his nurse several days.
One day, I had asked Gabriel many questions and asked him to do several things. I apologized to him for taking up his time. He knelt down and looked me in the eye and told me I could never ask too many questions or question how he was doing something because it was my loved one and I had that right. He was so sincere.
We are winter Texans so it was mainly only my husband and myself. The meds were making him act crazy, like trying to get out of bed and the chair, never happy if he was in bed or the chair, trying to take his IV out, blood pressure cuff, oxygen sensor, oxygen tubes, heart hugger and heart monitor off. I pretty much stayed with him night and day because it made him worse when I was gone. I went home, got a shower and a few hours sleep and when I came back, Gabriel was still sitting in my husband's room, reassuring him that I was coming back soon and he was talking to my husband to keep him calm.
Gabriel never talked down to either my husband or myself during my husbands stay. Gabriel was always positive, reassuring, friendly, and had a smile on his face. One day it was extremely challenging for Gabriel and I am sure he will never forget that day with my husband. He had to clean him so many times but never ever lost that smile or positive attitude and never made my husband feel bad about his problem.
Thank you, McAllen Heart Hospital for having such a compassionate, caring nurse in Gabriel. He really lives up to his name because he is an angel in disguise, a person of exemplary conduct and virtue.