I was a patient of Jennifer Sirna and had a wonderful experience.

I was admitted to HUP to give birth to my first baby. Unfortunately, a few minutes after what I thought was a very swift and easy birth, I bought myself an ICU trip after having some post-birth complications. I remember being in and out of consciousness, watching my newborn (whom I met for 5 minutes) be wheeled out to the nursery while I was emergently brought to the SICU. This was one of the scariest and saddest moments of my life.

I don’t remember much until the morning after. I woke up to a light, calming voice, a voice I remember as being reassuring after my rough night. I opened my eyes to see Jen and learned that she would be my nurse for the day.

I felt awful. I was bloody, covered in vomit, had defibrillator pads on my chest, and I was totally unrecognizable, or at least that’s how I felt. Jen immediately went to work to get me cleaned up and feeling better, and I don’t think she had been in the room for more than five minutes before she helped me into the bathroom. She washed me up as I helplessly stood and watched. She made me feel so comfortable, and I truly felt better just having her there, talking to me, sharing stories about her own birth experience and her kids.

Throughout the entire rest of the day, Jen was in and out of my room, constantly refilling my water, making sure I was okay, helping me up to the chair, and being a listening ear. She was a breath of fresh air after such a rough night, especially as I continued to experience so much sadness being away from my newborn.

And now I get to why I feel Jen deserves a field of daisies.

I had voiced to her how upset I was that being away from my baby might delay breastfeeding and pumping. Jen was in my room no more than 15 minutes later with a pump and all the supplies ready to teach me how to pump for the very first time. This ICU nurse, with so many other important responsibilities and critically ill patients to care for, took the time to educate me on how to pump. After that, she coordinated with a lactation nurse to bring my baby over so I could bond and attempt to breastfeed for the first time. She even took my phone and recorded videos and pictures of that first meeting without me even asking. Truly, what an angel she is.

And it doesn’t even stop there.

A few hours into the morning, the code bell went off for my neighbor. I could tell the team was working incredibly hard for this patient, and I just sat in my room praying for the man next door. I remember so clearly that, even during the hours-long code, Jen came in to check on me again and again. She was covered in sweat from compressions, out of breath, yet she still prioritized checking in on me.

I remember thinking: Wow. She truly is a hero. How could this woman, mid-code, mid-saving a life, come into my room to fill my water when she needed it so much more?

Jen embodies every element of what a nurse should be: compassionate, dedicated, loving, knowledgeable, supportive, the list goes on.  I think about her every single day and how she helped me through such a scary and sad time.

I myself am a nurse, and every day I strive to be better than yesterday for my patients because I knew Jen.

Thank you, Jen. This may have been just a normal day in the ICU for you, but being your patient meant the world to me.