mary smythe, RN, CCRN

I was recently a patient in your ICU following heart surgery. Though what would become a very trauma filled 2 days of a 5-day stay, Mary seemed to be no more than 2 feet or 3 seconds away from me the entire week. I can't begin to tell you the calmness I encountered when I knew Mary had my next 12 hours. None of this more important than the 6 hours post-op. Mary literally was the "angel on my shoulder." It is so humbling to stand next to someone weeks later and listen to the details of the trauma-filled event that she "ho-hums" the lifesaving aspects as if she changed a flat tire for me. I will forever see Mary's calmness with her one foot up on the laptop rolling desk and knowing, now, I can never come close to repaying her for all that she did and all that she saved for me when I needed it most.