Following a cardiac arrest and drowning event, I was a patient in the Rochester St. Mary's Campus Nasseff Tower Cardiac Critical Care Unit for 13 days, followed by another 5 days in Cardiac Care, followed by 7 days in Generose Rehabilitation. During my time in Critical Care, I was intubated and sedated for the first five days of my stay. Once out of sedation and aware of my surroundings, for the next eight days, I was fortunate to repeatedly be under the care of a very special nurse, Michael Ojeikhodion. Michael was always extremely intuitive of my personal needs. He seemed to have a sixth sense in anticipating my immediate needs well before I would make a request of him. He also anticipated the physical and emotional needs of my wife and loved ones who were with me during the time I was in Critical Care. He constantly asked them if there was anything they needed or what questions they might have about my status. This ongoing communication was extremely reassuring and offered reduced stress, as there is no greater stress than that of the unknown. Michael was exceptional in alleviating this stress for all of us.

Michael took time to learn the names of my friends and loved ones and made a point to always address them by name, which was a much-appreciated personal touch during this stressful time. Michael always welcomed questions from my wife regarding all things related to my condition. He was incredibly knowledgeable about my symptoms, medications, and physician-assigned protocol. His interest and engagement with his medical team epitomize the professionalism he possesses. He was on point with every aspect of my condition and easily articulated it to us in a way that we could totally understand. Michael made it a point to make sure I was comfortable both from a physical and mental standpoint. He was always honest, and his caring and confident demeanor reassured me and my family.

While I was experiencing delusions, Michael allayed my worries over this by telling me that this was not an uncommon occurrence. He then immediately shared with the team what I was experiencing so that it could be treated with a prescribed medication to lessen these symptoms. The professionalism of Michael was second to none. He epitomizes all the things that one could hope for in a caregiver.  Michael was dedicated and committed to giving care. This commitment put me in a comfortable place to accept all the assistance I needed. He put me at ease, asking for that care which can be challenging when it involves matters of privacy and modesty. He educated me and encouraged me that it was his mission to provide me with the care that I could no longer provide for myself. Michael was astute in taking note of my needs and relaying them to my team. Michael was an invaluable contributor to that team as he was the one with the most personal contact with me and my loved ones. The team viewed Michael as an invaluable team member and asked for and respected his every input. Michael epitomizes Mayo’s RICH TIES. With every shift change, it was my hope and the hope of my wife and loved ones who were constantly with me in Critical Care, that Michael would be my nurse on that particular shift. I feel strongly that Michael is Mayo’s perfect role model for every one of Mayo’s RICH TIES, as he lives these values every minute of every shift, which we feel makes him a superb recipient of the DAISY Award.