My family and I first met Lorie on what was a normal Saturday evening. My family member became deathly ill, very rapidly and was taken to PPMH. In the ER, my uncle had two great nurses, but it wasn't until he reached MICU that he had phenomenal nurses. Lorie took my family member in as if he were her own family as soon as her shift started (which was only 30 minutes after he arrived to the floor). Never have I met someone so compassionate and caring. My uncle could sense her kindness as well. He joked with her, as best he could, often smiling and thanking her. She never missed a beat, consistently explaining everything and anything that she was doing or going to do to her patient. Also, she made sure to explain everything not only to my uncle, but to my family as well. Medications, side effects, lab work, tests, you name it, she explained it, even in depth of how the body works. This hit near and dear to my heart, mainly because my family does not consist of medical professionals, so she chose, despite being run crazy with a full unit, to explain things on a level my family could understand. Not once did my uncle or his family have to question anything she did or anything any other department did, because she had already taken the time to explain it too. Not once did she come off as in a hurry, or like she didn't have time for us. Lori exemplified greatness.
One other thing that caught my whole family's attention, that they praised her for as well, is that while carrying a full load of patient's (putting into perspective that my family member was so severely sick, that he was a one-on-one type patient), she was also training another nurse. Lorie was super nurse! I do have to give praise where it is given, and the nurse-in-training was just as amazing as Lorie.
As the night progressed, my uncle's condition became worse, and he almost didn't make it through the night. Lori was on top of things. She went above and beyond to ensure that my family member would come home to us. She worked tirelessly to stay afloat that night, and I, as well as my family, truly believe they are the reason my uncle is alive today. It is because of Lorie's compassion, keen eyes, and close monitoring that he is here today. We watched her leave well after her shift was over.At that moment, I realized just how great she was, and how selfless. While having family to go home to, Lorie spent extra time away from her family to care for mine. I could go on and on with praises for Lorie, but it wouldn't come close to doing her care justice. She will forever hold a special place in my family's heart. If you ever get a chance to be taken care of by Lorie, know that you havean angel laying hands on you. Thank you Lorie, for treating us like family and giving hope that there are some phenomenal people in this career.