My mother had an intense bladder surgery yesterday. Last night after several hours of not being able to see my mom after a long surgery and recovery, my father and I were emotionally and physically drained but still hesitant to leave her. In came Gerty, and right away, a sense of calm came over me. I quickly remembered everything that we liked about her.
Gerty was our nurse 4.5 years ago when my mom had her bladder removed due to bladder cancer. That surgery kept her in the hospital for many days with many, many nurses. While they were all calming, nurturing, kind and knowledgeable, I remember Gerty almost 5 years later.
Gerty is the best, her energy calming, when she walks into the room is like your best friend and nurse wrapped into one. Every time she comes in the room, she is always the most caring soul. She never seems tired or impatient, she is always treating the patient and family like they are her only patient. Her smile is contagious and you can feel that she loves her job. It's the little things that stand out, like what I witnessed today. She was cheering my mom on for doing her chair sits and they got on the topic of her losing her hair. Gerty said, "You have the most beautiful smile. And hair is just hair - you're beautiful inside and out." I personally believe that she is cheering my mom on like her own daughters do.
While I am so grateful to every nurse who has taken care of my mom from chemo, pre-op, post-op, etc. Gerty deserves something special because she is special.
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About 4+ years ago my wife was diagnosed with bladder cancer which resulted in having her bladder removed and a neo-bladder surgically implanted at NMH. A traumatic experience for my wife and the entire family. Post-surgery she's brought up to the 12th floor (Ward 12) and we meet her nurse, Gerty. She was like a ray of sunshine every day taking care of mywife with the most positive attitude and words of encouragement anyone can hope to get. Reminding her every day to get out of bed and take walks in a way that made my wife and I feel we needed to do this. The best part is, she always followed it with kind words of encouragement.
Fast forward 4+ years and my wife is diagnosed with a new occurrence of cancer, this time it has shown up in her urethra. Another surgery at NMH to remove her urethra and post-surgery assignment on the 12th floor (West 12) and who should come walking in as one of her nurses but Gerty. I recognized her immediately and remembered how wonderful she had been last time. Afterward, she told me she also remembered us as soon as she saw my wife.
Nothing has changed about Gerty of 4+ years ago and the Gerty of today. She continues to approach every aspect of providing nursing care with a smile and word of encouragement. When she walks into the room and says good morning in her special way we just know the days will be good.
Gerty best represents all the attributes of kind, compassionate, skilled nursing.