My husband has a complex, multi system illness. We are new to the VA but we have been battling this ongoing downhill illness for 10 years. We have seen our share of doctors and their staff at a multitude of medical providers.
It has been our experience, since coming to the VA, that Julie in the Gold Clinic consistently goes above and beyond the call of duty. Julie has called us many times between appointments just to check how my husband is doing; she regularly reaches out to give support and understanding to me, the wife and full time care giver as well.
I believe she has helped us both maintain our sanity and positive mental health throughout this nightmare. Because my husband's condition is multisystems and he takes over 26 medications a day, symptoms, etc. can be very confusing and difficult for even the doctors to diagnose, understand, and treat. Julie goes above and beyond the call of duty to help us both understand and treat these situations, keeping us out of the inpatient population. We have had 2 inpatient stays since we began with the VA so we interact with a multitude of VA nurses and staff. Although we interact with many very compassionate and caring nurses and other staff, Julie stands out.
Julie not only treats my husband, but also reaches out to me. I often feel overwhelmed and frustrated. Julie has referred us to additional services, like a social worker, which helps me as a caregiver give my husband quality care. If the DAISY Award is for outstanding, extraordinary care then it has Julie's name all over it.