My husband was a recent patient in the ICU. His nurse was Michelle, whom he had never met before, but who would have known? She treated us like family, seeing that we had blankets, water, etc. She called in to our daughter to check on how he was doing on her day off and even drove from her home in Camp Point to bring us some treats she had made for us to snack on. Who would expect that?

She also helped answer questions we had about the doctor’s visit. Michelle was a very caring nurse and showed much compassion for my husband and our family. We couldn’t have asked her to do more than she did. She contacted us after my husband was moved to skilled care and after his death. Michelle also went with us to the skilled care unit, and she also suggested special housing available for the families of patients, which we used. A donation was made by our daughter and her husband.
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Michelle was an absolute gem of a nurse. During our time in the ICU with my unresponsive dad and my mom, who was devastated at the thought of losing her husband of 66.5 years, Michelle’s compassion and care went far beyond what was expected of her. She didn’t just care for us professionally—she took the time to learn about their story, listening deeply to my mom as she shared their life together.

Michelle spent time with us, looking at pens my dad had made, enjoying snacks, and offering guidance as we navigated conversations with different doctors. Her kindness wasn’t just in her actions but in her words, hugs, and how she wrapped her arms around us and held our hands. She was a true source of comfort during a heartbreaking time.

When she was about to be off for a few days, she went out of her way to recommend another nurse she thought would be a good fit for our situation. And even when she wasn’t working, she continued to check in, staying connected with our nurse to see how we were doing. The moment that truly blew me away was when she showed up at the hospital, on her day, bringing homemade snacks and sitting with us for hours, offering support and walking my mom through the unimaginable decision to remove my dad from the ventilator.

Even after we moved to Hospice care, Michelle didn’t disappear—she reached out to check on us through Facebook Messenger. When we didn’t show up to see her as we had previously arranged due to my dad's passing, she checked in on us again, just to make sure we were okay. Michelle is an incredibly special person.

I honestly don’t think we could have made it through this experience without her. She was a true blessing from God, sent to guide us through the darkest of times. Though our situation was heartbreaking, we are forever grateful for the privilege of meeting Michelle, and she will always be in our hearts.