I received the absolute best care during my 5 days at our medical center. One nurse, specifically, will always hold a special place in my heart because of the care she provided, she went above and beyond the call of duty. Kelly Rilk sat right beside me, let me cry when I missed my kids, and the comforts of being home; she cried right along with me and gave me the biggest hug when I needed it. The next morning, she was my assigned nurse again.
Kelly brought me my favorite coffee from Dunkin and she also had a balloon and my favorite chocolate, because that too, is a lovely Band Aid to being miserable! Kelly was the nurse who helped figure out what was really wrong with me through her detailed assessment and repeated discussions with doctors. I might have been sent home with this issue and could have become much sicker or even septic if not for the care she provided. My symptoms were close to being dismissed as something normal in the face of infection, and I honestly would have agreed with it.
Kelly also kept my dignity intact when I had to have sensitive procedures done and offered to stay over her scheduled shift to keep my privacy a priority. She is not only clinically excellent, but an incredibly caring person I am proud to say I work with.