Right now, I have a very busy life, but that has never stopped me from being extremely active, going to the gym, and hiking outside. In the past, however, I have battled an addiction to opiates which started from a broken back injury at the age of 17. I have had victory over my addiction for the past 2 years, but 3 weeks before I was admitted, I relapsed and began taking drugs again until a severe headache brought me to the hospital.
In the hospital, I found out that I became vulnerable to an infection in my blood which damaged my heart valve. I had to receive a heart valve replacement surgery and I took IV antibiotics for 6 weeks. This is when I met Julie.
Julie was my nurse on the cardiac floor. I saw her frequently before surgery and after surgery, up until my discharge date. Julie instantly became my favorite nurse because there was never any judgment in her eyes. Julie was always extremely pleasant around me and possessed a positive attitude even when I felt depressed about being away from the outside world. Julie made it easy to stay positive.
Additionally, Julie took the time to sit down and listen to me open up about personal issues. I had a lot of grief from the loss of my father and she was able to show me compassion. She genuinely cared and encouraged me to never give up and keep on fighting. Julie has changed my perspective of the nurses in the hospital and she has helped me to see my own situation from another perspective. I believe that Julie is an incredible nurse and a true DAISY Nurse.