My story is a long, kind of hard one to tell. It started on Tuesday when I started having contractions with my daughter. After many hours of very strong but unsuccessful contractions, I had a c-section to welcome my daughter. This was my 2nd child, we welcomed our son in 2019 also a c-section. We went home on Friday to find our 2-year-old had Hand, Foot, and Mouth so I kept the baby in the bedroom and Daddy kept her brother in the living room.

The following Tuesday I wasn't feeling well, felt dehydrated, was nauseous, and throwing up so I went to immediate care thinking maybe they'd give me some fluids and IV meds and get me feeling better, but due to my recent c-section and the possibility of a heart situation. They didn't want to see me so they called and had EMS take me to the ER, where I sat for hours, had some tests, got fluids, and was sent home. They went to do a CT to make sure everything from my c-section was all right but when they laid me down, I started coughing really bad, so they added a chest CT as well. I was diagnosed with Pneumonia. As they were discharging me, they decided to do a Covid swab. I was called the next day and told it was positive.

That night I started feeling like I couldn't breathe well, and Thursday it was worse. I was weak and was having a lot of trouble getting up and taking care of the baby. I finally couldn't do it anymore and called EMS. I was admitted and over the next couple of days put on different breathing machines. I'm not even sure how long I was there, but they came in and told me that NGMC had an ICU bed, and they were going to send me there. They came and took me to their ICU. I remember at one point being told they were going to intubate me before I was transferred. The last I remember was my ICU nurse helping me drink lemonade on a very stormy day and then I was woken up and told I had been in a medically induced coma for about 3 weeks. I couldn't move or talk, could only slightly move my head for yes and no. I was trached, had a feeding tube, and so many lines and tubes, and was on a ventilator. It was pretty terrifying. Thankfully there was Judy.

Over the next weeks and months, I had a wide range of care. None compared to or made the impression that Judy did on my heart and life. From the moment I woke up I felt her sincerity and felt less alone and scared any time she was there with me. Judy refused to give up on me or allow me to give up on myself. She was my strength when I needed to just be weak and broken. When I woke, I felt like I was trapped in my mother's frail body after her 2nd major stroke, Judy held my hand and talked to me. She went above and beyond everyone to help me fight for my life and for my babies.

Judy took the time to give me the best bed bath possible since the showers were down. She made a way to really wash my hair deeply and pamper me a bit. One day she even got a team together to take me outside for a bit, she was determined to get me out of that ICU room and outside. She shared in my awe as she read 30 emails, I received one day from across the US. Mainly from my company, telling me to look at how loved and missed I was. They had my boyfriend put pictures of our babies on a board and bring them to me, Judy would always bring it over so I could actually see them and look at them a little. She put her foot down when I needed that 'Mama' push when I kept refusing to video chat with anyone. I'm glad she did because while I was in rehab my stepdad passed away and even though I can't remember the call I'm glad I did it. As well as the calls with my boyfriend.

Judy is one of the best nurses I've met she has a way of being compassionate and strong. She can push you to do what you need to in order to heal but not in a cold way. I believe my chances of making it through this horrible experience and still being here to watch my babies grow would be a lot less possible if Judy had not done my intake that day I was transferred to NGMC. Judy has been my angel since that first day before I even woke up and met her. This world needs more people and nurses like Judy, we all need that kind of care, especially in those moments we feel may be our last here on earth. Judy really deserves this recognition that she makes a huge difference in this world, that her work matters, and her heart is a beautiful and rare thing. Thank you for your time and Thank God for Judy and my life.

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Judy is one of the most caring and compassionate nurses I have had the privilege of working with. I had a homeless patient who was unidentified. Judy helped me go through my patient's belongings. Due to the condition of the belongings being ruined, soiled, or cut, many of the belongings had to be thrown away. Judy went out of her way to make sure the patient had clothes to leave the hospital with. She provided the patient with clothes before the patient was transferred off the floor. This is one of the examples of how kind and amazing Judy is as a nurse. She is a patient advocate, staff resource, and the heart of MICU, making sure everybody feels loved and a part of the team.