August 2016
Lura
Hammons
,
RN
Outpatient Surgery Center
HSHS St. John's Hospital
Springfield
,
IL
United States
Surgery makes me very nervous; not only had I just lost a child, I was headed to surgery. My intake nurse at the Pavilion Outpatient Surgery Center was Lura. Immediately she knew I was nervous and sincerely apologized for my loss. When we were in the room to prep for surgery, she started to ask me the normal questions. But the way she asked them is what stuck out the most. She had the calmest demeanor. She had a way of letting me know I was okay. I have had surgery before and I have had several good nurses, but I have never met someone who had such an overwhelming, gifted, loving way of taking care of someone. Lura made sure I was comfortable and rushed my family to me as soon as she could. She made sure I understood everything that was going on and everything that was going to happen. She reassured me over and over that everything was going to be okay - not only in surgery, but recovering from my loss as well. She made a huge impact on me in such a short period of time. I'm sure I'm not the only one this has happened to. Lura is undeniably a gift from God that was sent here to do the amazing job she is doing. I am fortunate and blessed to have had her care for me. She sent me off to surgery and told me she would be there when I came out. And she was there waiting for me like an angel from God. She made sure I was okay. I believe this extraordinary work should be recognized. I'm writing you in hopes that she will be acknowledged for her incredible, unselfish way of caring for other people in one way or another.