Jodi
Mehlenbacher
September 2010
Jodi
Mehlenbacher
,
RN
Cardiac Thoractic Step Down Unit
CHI Memorial Hospital
Chattanooga
,
TN
United States
I thought my hospital days were over after my most recent open heart surgery at Memorial Hospital. What a surprise and a downer, after 9 days of recovery, to have to go back into surgery for a fistula repair and…the night before my 50th Wedding Anniversary. What could have been a very depressing time turned into the best anniversary ever; all because of the night shift nurses on the CTSU.
My name is Dick Connelly and I was admitted to room 266 on June 17, 2010. The night shift nurses somehow found out that my wife Patsy and I were about to celebrate our 50th Wedding Anniversary. This team of nurses turned our “Hospital Anniversary” into one of the most memorable anniversaries we have ever celebrated. The CTSU night team, led by Jodi Mehlenbacher, used their creative talents to decorate my door with a beautifully fabricated heart design when I returned from surgery at 10:30 pm. By 5:30 am, this jolly group was gathered in my room ready for a celebration. For Patsy, they fashioned a flower bouquet made from colorful napkins placed in a urinal vase (clean of course) filled with blue tourniquets to represent water. I was given a boutonniere made of a napkin-flower which was pinned to my hospital gown.
Jodi, along with her team of dedicated, fun-loving nurses (Cherish, Amy Madeleine, Cara, Nisha, Achamma) and Shae, NA will never fully understand what an impact they have made on my life. Patsy and I left the hospital, headed over to the Chapel of St. Augustine (Catholic Church) on Signal Mountain and had Father Joseph renew our wedding vows. We re-exchanged our rings and recited prayers of thanksgiving which was such a close and intimate moment for both of us.
The nurses at Memorial had taken photos of our “Anniversary Celebration” and I had wanted to call and request a copy but thought that would be asking too much. The very day I had thought of calling, we received a very creative anniversary card in the mail from the CTSU staff. This card was signed by the nurses with special, personal messages along with copies of our celebration photos. Wow- what more can be said! We now have such a great keepsake to remember our 50th Wedding Anniversary.
I believe that God sometimes has a strange ways of handling things… He occasionally sends angels dressed in scrubs to assist. God bless you Jodi and all of your night shift companions. We will never forget you or the love and care that you gave to me and my family.
My name is Dick Connelly and I was admitted to room 266 on June 17, 2010. The night shift nurses somehow found out that my wife Patsy and I were about to celebrate our 50th Wedding Anniversary. This team of nurses turned our “Hospital Anniversary” into one of the most memorable anniversaries we have ever celebrated. The CTSU night team, led by Jodi Mehlenbacher, used their creative talents to decorate my door with a beautifully fabricated heart design when I returned from surgery at 10:30 pm. By 5:30 am, this jolly group was gathered in my room ready for a celebration. For Patsy, they fashioned a flower bouquet made from colorful napkins placed in a urinal vase (clean of course) filled with blue tourniquets to represent water. I was given a boutonniere made of a napkin-flower which was pinned to my hospital gown.
Jodi, along with her team of dedicated, fun-loving nurses (Cherish, Amy Madeleine, Cara, Nisha, Achamma) and Shae, NA will never fully understand what an impact they have made on my life. Patsy and I left the hospital, headed over to the Chapel of St. Augustine (Catholic Church) on Signal Mountain and had Father Joseph renew our wedding vows. We re-exchanged our rings and recited prayers of thanksgiving which was such a close and intimate moment for both of us.
The nurses at Memorial had taken photos of our “Anniversary Celebration” and I had wanted to call and request a copy but thought that would be asking too much. The very day I had thought of calling, we received a very creative anniversary card in the mail from the CTSU staff. This card was signed by the nurses with special, personal messages along with copies of our celebration photos. Wow- what more can be said! We now have such a great keepsake to remember our 50th Wedding Anniversary.
I believe that God sometimes has a strange ways of handling things… He occasionally sends angels dressed in scrubs to assist. God bless you Jodi and all of your night shift companions. We will never forget you or the love and care that you gave to me and my family.