There were many wonderful nurses and caregivers in the Open-Heart ICU who took care of my brother. From the first day in ICU, until the last, his care was top-notch, and his caregivers not only displayed empathy and care to my brother, but also to our entire family.
When my brother entered the Emergency Room, he was in a major health crisis. He was immediately put under the care of a cardiac surgical team, after being diagnosed with an abscess on his heart from a bacterial infection and set up for open-heart surgery with Dr. Burlingame. My brother was moved to the OHICU after his cath lab screening, and then again, following his first of three open-heart surgeries. His team of Doctors, Nurses, Physical Therapists, and Respiratory Therapists could not have been better.
As of now, my brother has no memory of what has happened, but his family does.

I'll start with Hannah, his nurse aide. Hannah was a bright ray of sunshine that came into the OHICU room on day one of ICU following the Cath lab procedure. She treated my brother with the utmost respect, explaining to him what she was doing, even though he was barely awake. In a delicate moment of his stay, a Tuesday after surgery three, she could see that his mouth was dry from being intubated, and she very gently and cautiously did his oral hygiene. Hannah handled my brother in such a way that he was able to retain his dignity. When she would walk in the room, his eyes would pop open with delight, and he was able to muster a smile through the awkward tube in his mouth.

That same night, a more seasoned nurse, my most memorable, Cindy, was on duty. It was late and I was still with my brother, because he seemed to want me there, if for nothing else, but to hold his hand for comfort. My brother's hands were restrained so that he would not pull on the tube or any of the many lines going into his body. Needless to say, he did not like the restraints. Cindy made a deal with my brother; She would remove the restraints as long as he promised to not pull anything. Once he was extubated and stable, Cindy kept her promise and released the restraints while she camped outside his door and did her charting. The look of relief on his face was priceless, and I felt at ease to go home; I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that my big brother was in capable hands.
On the day of surgery, Brianna diligently came to check on my family in the waiting room, always asking if we were okay and if we needed anything. When she finished her shift, she came to talk to me and my brother’s wife. After a long day at her job, she took extra time to talk to us and to make sure we were okay. She knew how exhausting it had to be sitting in the waiting room for two days in a row, waiting to hear a word from Dr. Burlingame in what seemed like a hopeless situation.
I can't leave out the other Nurses and the Respiratory Therapist who I only know by their first names; Teresa, Olivia, Ashley, and the two Dylans, were also top-notch. Ty, the Respiratory Therapist, was absolutely wonderful with my brother the night that the tube finally was removed; my brother seemed ready to have the tube taken out, but anxious once it was out. He felt like he was having trouble breathing, but Ty reassured him that his “numbers look great” and that he would get used to breathing on his own. After a short time, my brother was at ease.
If there is an award for surgeons, Dr. Burlingame deserves one too. When it all seemed hopeless, he looked me in the eyes and spoke into the phone, and said the words we all needed to hear, “I'm not ready to give up on him.” I knew then that my brother was going to be okay. I was still terrified, but I still had hope. I knew, again, that my brother was in capable hands.
After a short period in rehab and a return to the OHICU, my brother was airlifted to the University of Maryland Medical Center, where he has received yet another surgery to repair his heart. This was a last-ditch effort to save his life, a life we feel worthy of saving, a life his Doctors and Nurses feel worthy of saving. While back in the OHICU, my brother received care from the same team that cared for him prior to going for a short stint in rehab. Jess, Kyle, and Genevie were among the team who gave him amazing care and who gave us unwavering guidance through his journey of ups and downs.

I must mention Ava. Ava is by far my brother's favorite; she speaks to him with the utmost respect, answers our questions, and challenges my brother to keep his mind lucid. He demonstrates to us that she is special because of the way he carries conversation and challenges her to math problems on the whiteboard in his room. She has shown patience and kindness to us, and even when she has other patients to attend to, she gives us her time and gives my brother 100%.
We will miss the commitment of integrity and kindness exhibited by this amazing team of Nurses, Doctors, Respiratory Therapists, ECMO Techs, and Nurse Aids. They're all wheels on a finely tuned bus that keeps my brother alive and thriving. Without this team, my brother would not have been given a new chance to live. Our family and my brother are deeply appreciative for all that the OHICU team has done to save his life. They have surrounded his wife with tremendous support and guidance, becoming an extension of our family. These fine people will not be forgotten as we continue our journey with my brother.
There are no words to express our deep gratitude to the OHICU for their combined compassion, empathy, integrity, and respect for my brother’s dignity while in their care. On behalf of myself, and the entire family of my brother, I thank the OHICU team that cared for my brother.

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Team Members honored with this DAISY TEAM Award:
Jane Searfoss, RN
Colby Hartlaub, RN
Jason Stover, RN
Christine Dinges, RN
Andrew Slegel, RN
Jillian Stanley, RN
Rachel Allen, RN
Balinda Loden, RN
Bianca Mancas, RN
Brittany Meyerhoffer, RN
Cheyenne Bohlen, RN
Christine Gabriel, RN
Breanna Grable, RN
Scott Heaney, RN
Ashley Johnston, RN
Lindsay Kelly, RN
Beth Krone, RN
Jacqueline Mitcheltree, RN
Jordan Sandoval, RN
Blake Stock, RN
Brian Swansboro, RN
Lindsay Trostle, RN
Christina Arentz, RN
Teresa Clineburg, RN
Christine Fiorucci, RN
Jessica Misner, RN
Candace Ruppert, RN
Kyle Stover, RN
Brianna Wagaman, RN
Jaclynn Allen, RN
Stephanie Johnston, RN
Ashley Diehl, RN
Amanda Moyer, RN
Ashley Kyper, RN
Ava Bastress, RN
Olivia Rhoads, RN
Jessica Hartley, RN
Genavie Hess, RN
Briana Toomey, RN
Theresa Spadaforda, RN
Sarah Henningsen, RN
Heather Diffendall, CRNP
Nadia DeAndrade, CRNP
Melinda Fuller, CRNP
Jessica Halloran, CRNP
Stephanie Church, CRNP
Matthew Riddle, RN
Kevin Hunsicker, RN
Dwayne Houpt, RN
Ashley Trimmer, RN
Richard Piekutowski, RN
Ashley Trimmer, RN
Hannah Markle, RN
Jennifer Tiedebohl, RN