August 2023
Juanita
Aikens-English
,
RN
Endoscopy
Ellis Medicine
Schenectady
,
NY
United States

 

 

 

I was crying with relief, and she stayed with me, holding my hand while we talked about gratitude.
I met Juanita in the endoscopy lab and only for a brief moment. I had an NG tube that came out, and the plan was that if it needed to be replaced, it would be done while I was under sedation from the endoscopy. I woke up in the recovery trying to jam my fingers into my oxygen mask to see if the tube was there. Juanita came over, leaned on the rail of my bed, her face inches from mine, and said, "It's ok, honey, no tube." I was crying with relief, and she stayed with me, holding my hand while we talked about gratitude. She left me for a moment and came back with a tiny silver angel charm because "Angels will always watch over me." What is there to say about such kindness? I will keep this reminder of Juanita (and Ellis's nursing care) for the rest of my life.