Laura Krzykwa, RN

My son had a traumatic fall and needed surgery to repair his arm. He is terrified of needles and hospitals. He was extremely anxious about needing an IV before surgery. In the past, he has fainted and had panic attacks from IV starts/blood draws. Laura was his pre-op nurse. She told him that she was also afraid of needles. She told him about a trick that another nurse once told her. She taught him how to use guided imagery and grounding. Told him to mentally get to his happy place before he allows someone to poke him. She talked him through this process while she started his IV. It was a night and day difference from his usual experiences. He said the panicking feeling he normally gets was gone! She also talked to him about her experience with having surgery for a broken bone and how it helps so much! My son is still talking about how wonderful Laura was and how she made his procedure so much easier for him. He continues to follow her advice, and it works!