My father had emergency heart surgery. He was transferred from our home hospital in Kalamazoo. His nurse, Sam, met him before surgery and her friendliness, humor, and knowledge put him at ease, immediately. My father was terrified, I'm sure, but Sam guided him through it with expert compassion. She has since taken care to personally follow his care and update his family. I could list countless ways she's helped us through our own worry. Mainly, I just like to thank her for her compassion and preparing us for the next steps. Specifically, she took the time to explain what my father would look like, and when we could first see him after surgery. She didn't want us to be shocked or break down. She didn't want us to be surprised, she wanted us to be prepared. She prepared us in an almost magical way that eliminated so much fear and uncertainty. I will always be grateful to her for that kindness. I've known Sam for 32 hours now and yet I feel confident in saying that she is one of the kindest, most generous, and compassionate people I've ever met. She is smart in answering every question expertly. She's patient (My word! My mom and I can be a pain!). She has the temperament that this job demands - able to calmly handle stressful situations and life-threatening emergencies with calm and precision. (Oh! She’s also super funny!)  I'd also like to mention that she took time after her long, grueling shift to find us in the waiting area to deliver even more consolation and tenderness. I hope she can make it to my family's Thanksgiving this year.  Truly, she is amazing!