I had open heart surgery in January and was admitted to the cardiac intensive care post-surgery, but unable to fully breathe on my own for about 11 hours. Due to the medication, I was not fully aware of what was happening but the breathing tube not coming out was causing me to worry and panic at times. I felt like I was choking and at one point I thought I was on life support and would die because the ability to breathe on my own had failed. Not being able to speak made it even harder. There were windows in my room and when it got dark outside I got even more worried because I knew the breathing tube had been in for a long time and that something had to be wrong with me. All types of worries went through my head and my vision was not working properly. I was full of worry and fear.
This is where Gabe comes in. We all have our expectations of nurses to do their work and help us out. But for me, I never expected a nurse to hold my hand and become such a source of reassurance and comfort when I was at the most vulnerable point in my life. Gabe constantly tried to comfort me. In addition to simply caring and doing his job in taking care of me he caused me to trust him. He gave me hope. He invested himself in my care and the welfare of my family who was there with me and was as worried as I was.
I spent 11 hours post surgery with the breathing tube creating fear and anxiety for me and Gabe spent 11 hours fighting for me be comfortable and to calm my fears. I cannot place a value on what he did for me that day and I will never forget the care he provided. I will never forget how I felt like he was not going to let me die or let me be afraid of what was happening. I won't forget the confidence he gave my wife and family that day. I won't forget that he took the time to come and visit me even after I left his unit and went to another floor.
Gabe took a day that could have become a very traumatic experience for me and turned it into an uplifting experience which I have learned from and will draw strength from for the rest of my life. If this is not among the highest professional accomplishments nurses are capable of I can't imagine what is.
In short, Gabe changed my life and my mindset for life. He changed my view of the healing power of nurses for life. I hope he stays in nursing for the rest of his career because healing power and potential such as his can provide positive changes to lives of so many people. I could not appreciate Gabe Natalini anymore than I do right now. The hospital is lucky to have him and I was fortunate that day to have him too.