I was admitted to St.James Hospital where I went through two abdominal surgeries. A day after my second surgery, I was moved to Ward J44. There, a wonderful team of nurses took great care of me for almost two months, and Jenalyn Favo-Watfah is one of the nurses who I will never forget. I first met Jenalyn after a few days at J44 as she returned to work after a few days off. Jenalyn came to my bed, introduced herself, and told me that she would be taking care of me that day. After giving me all the medication I needed for the morning, she asked me if I needed anything else or was there anything she could do for me. I said 'no', and thanked her. Jenalyn asked me: "How about a nice shower? I am sure you would feel a lot better after a shower." I was very surprised: "Really? How can I shower now?" My body was still attached to all the PCAT, TPN, and straining tubes at that time. She gently replied: "Don't worry darling, I will help you, and I will make sure you are safe." I had to admit that I hadn't had a shower for the previous two weeks. I was so poorly that I could only have a wash once a day and my hair was so greasy that it stuck together like I had wax all over my head. I leaned on Jenalyn and she took me with my arm over her shoulder to the bathroom. There I sat on a chair and she washed my hair and my wounded body. She was so gentle and careful that I didn't feel any pain - just a feeling of being pampered. Having seen my dry skin, she rushed to get some body lotion after the shower and applied it to my body. Then, Jenalyn took me back to my bed. She dried my hair with the hairdryer my husband brought to the hospital, which I hadn't had a chance to use it yet. She combed my hair and tied it high after asking how I wanted it. I felt great, so clean and fresh that it seemed like I had made a big leap in my recovery already. And I was so moved and thanked her many times. I trusted Jenalyn's care and enjoyed the shower so much that I had waited another week when she returned to work to ask her if she could give me another shower. Even though she worked on another side of the ward, she agreed at once when I asked her. I was so grateful for what she had done to help me.
Having a major operation and being so ill had eliminated my ability to take care of myself, and I was quite shy to ask for help with personal matters such as showering. I know if I had asked, every nurse at the hospital would have been happy to help me, but Jenalyn, unlike the others, did not need to wait for me to ask to offer her care. She truly understands her patients. She saw my needs and sincerely wanted me to feel better and recover. I can't thank Jenalyn enough, and this is why when I saw The DAISY Award poster in the corridor, I thought of her right away. This is such a great way to let her know how grateful I am for her care. Because of people like Janelyn, the hospitals, and the NHS become not only a place people have to go to when they are sick but a place people will remember fondly when they get better.