Our 10-year-old daughter was admitted to Adams for concerns of appendicitis. We spent an hour in the ER trying to get the pain under control with different pain meds, lots of tears and screaming, and continual throwing up until we were transferred to Med Surg. We were a complete mess when we arrived in our room; daughter throwing up, exhausted, and trying to figure out pain control.

Joe was our angel for the night. His calmness and kindness were unmatched. What impressed us and stood out the most was the way he addressed our daughter. Instead of speaking to us, he spoke directly to her. He told her everything he was going to do. He gave specific details: “You’re going to feel this now, and if you want me to stop, you tell me immediately and I will.”

He made her feel seen and let her know how she was feeling mattered to him. As a parent, he made me feel empowered to make the medical decisions we needed to make. He told me, “You don’t need to justify your decisions to me; I respect whatever you decide.”

For as much negative as you hear about hospitals and nurses, you need to hear more about people like Joe. Thank you for being so loving and respectful during a scary and rough night. I hope you get a lot more than just a DAISY Award pin because you deserve the world.