My teenage son quickly became ill with something uncommon for his age group. Despite seeking medical care days before, he continued to become increasingly ill days following. He was hopeless and scared as his symptoms continued and worsened. He had been up every few hours for two days, fighting high fevers, coughing, and difficulty breathing. He was hopeless. He had begged between coughs not to make him go back to a hospital, hopelessly pleading, fearful of laying in his sweat-soaked clothes again from fever breaking and his body shivers so relentlessly that his teeth hurt and he could not eat. We did not share this with Martha...we did not have to. Martha was so very patient you would've thought he had individual care. Martha showed kindness and compassion; she did not rush him. She encouraged him that it was okay. She reassured him, even if she does not and did not know how deeply this impacted both of us. The compassion in the care she provided us gave us both the relief and instilled hope back into my son as he was spiritually, mentally, physically, and emotionally depleted. As a healthcare provider myself, I am very passionate about patient care and the care I provide. The level of compassionate care she demonstrated impacted me on a professional level as well. No matter how great my own patient care is, there is always room for improvement. I will professionally reflect on her care when providing my patients' care.

Note: This is Martha's 2nd DAISY Award!