After a seemingly “harmless” cardiac cath, it was recommended that my dad undergo open heart surgery after finding an artery closed and the other in rough shape. During the very fast decision to proceed with surgery, we were met with many unknown and scary situations for a 63-year-old man. As he was coming out of anesthesia, they realized he was bleeding too much, which resulted in him going back under to repair an oozing artery when he was in the ICU. We had the best of the best care across the board.

One nurse stood out among the rest. From the instant we met Hailey we knew we were in good hands. The way she helped describe things, not only to my dad but also to my mom, sister, and me, with a clear common sense approach, really helped with the information we had been receiving for days. We were greeted for two days with warmth and care and a down-to-earth personality that made Hailey instantly feel like family. One such example, among many, was when she walked in as my dad was using his Incentive Spirometer and noticed him struggling a bit (not to mention this is day three post-op). She very simply explains that she finds it helpful to blow into it and then inhale. That very simple explanation changed his output and increased his confidence. Sometimes, you meet people who are very obviously doing what they are meant to do in life, and Hailey is a true gift to the medical community.

Note: This is Hailey's 2nd DAISY Award!