My 94-year-old father had a difficult time over the last 3-4 years with cardiovascular problems and CHF. He had multiple surgeries for those issues, followed by a fall during which he fractured his femur, also requiring surgery. While rehabilitating he fell again and severely fractured his C2, and a year or so later, this past August, he fell again fracturing his pelvis and concussing himself. During his extensive hospital stays, sometimes for months at a time due to complications, I was his primary advocate and as such dealt with a great number of physicians and surgeons, nurses, and administrative staff. In that time, I've probably interacted with 100+ of the nursing staff collectively in the Abrazo system, the Banner system, and the Honor Health system. There have been many fine nurses at these facilities who did an excellent job of attending to my father's needs. One, however, stands out very clearly.

While recuperating and rehabilitating from his pelvic fracture it became clear that he had an intestinal obstruction and was in severe distress. It was at that time that he was transferred to Honor Health Osborne and was attended to by Nurse Jennifer Arredondo. Of all of the nurses I've encountered during the course of dad's extensive care, "Jenn" was by far the most caring, concerned, attentive, responsive, and skilled nurse I'd come across. She was an excellent advocate for him when I was not able to be at his side, and helped facilitate communication between us and the physician staff. This young woman helped me at every turn try to figure out any options and alternatives which we could ask of the physicians that might help my father with his obstruction. Her willingness to do everything possible to make Dad comfortable and to make him feel safe and cared for was truly unparalleled, particularly in the frightening and excruciatingly painful final days.

Jenn has an incredible work ethic, and a heart of gold, and demonstrated the ability to handle any task required with calm expertise. She is truly a gem, a gem who did everything possible in a very demanding and difficult situation. I am sure that anyone who is fortunate enough to have her as a caregiver would completely agree, and there is no award that I can conceive of that would honor her sufficiently for what she offered my family.

It's been over two months now since Dad passed away in hospice, following his stay at the Honor Health facility, and there isn't a day that goes by that I don't give the deepest thanks to Nurse Jenn. I am not one to give praise casually or lightly, indeed Jenn is deserving of every bit I can offer!