I’ve been receiving exemplary care from the ECT/Ketamine team. All the nurses who have cared for me have been great, but Joshua Polaczyk has been particularly amazing. I was very nervous and extremely depressed when I started the Ketamine therapy. I have treatment-resistant depression and have been on numerous medications that have failed to treat my symptoms. So, I wasn’t very confident when I was recommended for Ketamine therapy, and the thought of having to receive an IV for each session was daunting. Joshua was the nurse overseeing my first session. He also oversaw multiple follow-up sessions during the earlier weeks of my treatment. Right from the start he put me at ease about the procedure. During each session, he was kind, super friendly, and especially patient with me. He listened intently to me when conducting my pre-procedure interviews, and he comforted and offered anxiety-relieving tips and tricks to get me through the IV insertions. When I had trouble during the earlier sessions with feeling the medication I was receiving during the procedure, he was attentive and made note of this for follow-up appointments. During my recovery periods, he always made sure I was comfortable and had enough water and snacks. He would openly chat and joke with me during my sessions which made the procedures feel much more normal.

Things never felt overly clinical or cold when Josh was around. And he never changed, every session I’ve had with him was wonderful; he was still awesome on the days I could tell he was exhausted. But most importantly, when it was clear that I wasn’t receiving the right dose of medications after a few sessions, he advocated for me to receive a higher dose. This higher dose has been a tremendous help to me. At the time, I was unable to advocate for myself assertively, and Joshua noticed this. He spoke up for me several times, which helped speed my treatment along, and I wouldn’t be getting better as quickly as I am without his help. The fact that all his suggestions to my doctor resulted in positive changes to my treatment indicates that he listens closely to his patients. He investigates their needs and identifies what treatment changes they might require, and he’s not afraid to speak up and share his opinions. This tells me he deeply cares about the progress of his patients, which is invaluable for people like me. I’ve met many kind and caring nurses during my many visits to various UM departments, but Josh is one of the few that really stand out to me and I will always remember that. He was exactly the nurse I needed when I was starting out in such a deep dark place. I’m still attending my Ketamine sessions, though less frequently. And unfortunately, I have not had a session with Josh in some time. I truly appreciate the care I’ve received from Josh, and I hope he knows how much of a difference he’s making in his patient’s lives!