My family and I had the unfortunate experience of having to send my mother-in-law to the emergency room at Vidant Medical Center. After hours of testing and evaluation, she was admitted to the Vidant Heart Center. It was determined that she had suffered a stroke and a heart attack in the previous 24 hours and the staff thought the Heart Center was where she should receive further treatment. She was admitted to the 5th floor where we were greeted by a fabulous nurse, Rosalia Sappelt, who was everything we could have asked for and more! She was not only the ultimate professional, but a very warm and caring nurse who seemed like one of our family immediately. My mother-in-law responded to Rosalia when we couldn't get her to do so with us. This was a Friday and Rosalia was not on the schedule for the following day. We asked the charge nurse if it would be possible to have her back on Sunday as my mother-in-law's nurse and our request was granted.

Rose, as we grew to call her, was there on Sunday morning with the same bright smile and encouraging bedside manner that we had loved when we met her initially. During my mother-in-law's stay on the 5th floor, Rose was an encouraging and informative nurse, always answering all of our many questions with honest but compassionate answers. We have five children, all of whom were there on Sunday, and Rose was so patient and kind to all of us.

My mother-in-law was moved to palliative care on Sunday afternoon, delivered there by Rose herself. Her condition seemed to deteriorate over the next day or so and we were in and out of the hospital. My husband and I noticed on Tuesday afternoon a note that was attached to the chalkboard in my mother-in-law's room, and as I read it, I couldn't help from becoming very emotional. Rose had stopped by the Palliative Care unit to check on my mother-in-law while we were out and wrote our family the sweetest note, expressing her concern.

Thank you Rose, for caring.