My wife and I winter in Texas the month of January and February. I had been diagnosed with carpal tunnel in December 2020. We had our truck packed and were heading south right after a consultation about having surgery for carpal tunnel. Nurse Jodi Knutson did the blood pressure and intake before I saw the doctor and she noticed my heart rate was high for being resting before my appointment. She asked me what was going on with me and I told her that I have been feeling unwell from time to time. She said I needed to go to urgent care to get checked out. I told her no, that I needed to get on the road to Texas and she said I really think you should go to urgent care. I again said no, I need to get going to get ahead of some weather that was forecasted, and I wanted to get going. Nurse Jodi then said, “if you were my husband, I would insist you go to urgent care to find out why your heart rate is high.” I then agreed and after my consult with the doctor, she walked me down to urgent care herself. I spent most of the day having tests done and finally finding out I had a pulmonary embolism. I was told by the doctor who was working in urgent care that day that there was a good chance I wouldn’t have made it to Texas as planned.

I feel Nurse Jodi went above and beyond in convincing me to go to urgent care and I believe she helped save my life. I think of her as my Guardian Angel. My wife and I will always be grateful for her extra care and dedication to helping a complete stranger that December day. If anybody should be recognized for being an Extraordinary Nurse it should be nurse Jodi Knutson, she is the perfect person.