Imagine being a seemingly healthy 28-yr old then being told you need a blood transfusion plus you have had a deep vein thrombosis and a pulmonary embolism. That was the beginning of the scariest day of my life.
Earlier this year I was told I needed to have a basketball size cyst removed from my fallopian tube. The Seton Kyle hospital kept me one night and from what I can remember the nursing staff was awesome and very kind.
Some months later I received a very scary call from my doctor to head to the ER as soon as possible. I live in Austin but drove to Seton Kyle because of my previous positive experiences there. The ER staff also discovered a large blood clot in my right leg and two in my lungs. When the nurse assigned to my room walked in, we both looked at each other, and she smiled and said "I know you".
I remembered Shannel; she had been one of the nurses from my earlier surgery in Kyle. She made the process of getting settled into my room very easy and smooth. She calmed my nerves by connecting with me and made me laugh for the first time that day. It was really nice to forget that my world was in chaos. Shannel talked to me about why I was there and made it seem like she wasn't just doing a nurse's job but made me feel as if she was speaking with a family member. She checked on me constantly to make sure I was comfortable, and it really helped any time I started feeling overwhelmed.
I can honestly say that Shannel made my first day at Seton Kyle so much more than bearable. You should all know and understand the impact of her kindness, professionalism and overall attitude had on me. Even though she was only my nurse that first day, she had a massive effect on how I viewed the unfortunate situation I was in. Shannel really did brighten what started as a very gloomy, dark day. She helped take my mind off things by talking to me about her puppy but also was able to pause and explain anything I had questions or concerns with. Shannel wasn't assigned to my room the next day but next night she came by my room to check on me and my progress. It was so nice to see a familiar face that I was nearly moved to tears when she gave me a big hug. When she walked into the room to see me it honestly felt like that first gasp of air you take after being under water longer than you ever wanted to be.
I think Shannel is one of the most genuine people I have ever met. The love and devotion Shannel shows to her patients is something I am grateful to have experienced.