A patient on 4 Heart came in through the Emergency Center after having a severe motor vehicle accident on the way home from work. When this patient came to us, she was battered and bruised, with her eyes blackened and swollen shut. Although she was in severe pain, Mary ensured that the patient was as comfortable as possible and well taken care of. After a chest x-ray, it was discovered that the patient's sternum was fractured in half. This patient was in constant, excruciating pain due to the cracked sternum popping on top of her chest. This patient was helpless due to her pain, and Mary helped her with everything, including simple activities that we take for granted. She maintained the patient's dignity every step of the way. When the sternum was showing no signs of improvement, Mary and the patient's spouse advocated for a cardiovascular surgeon to review the patient's situation. Because of Mary's persistence, the cardiovascular surgeon reviewed the situation and scheduled surgery the following day. During surgery, the surgeon determined the patient's fracture was much worse than it appeared on the x-ray. Without Mary advocating for the patient, the patient would have continued to suffer immense pain and lifelong problems.
This patient expressed to everyone on 4 Heart how grateful she was for Mary, her hard work, and her compassion for her patients.