I was referred to Shay Jordan after a trip to the emergency room, where it became abundantly clear that the home health care nurse assisting me lacked the specialized training to deal with my complex ostomy needs. From the moment I met Shay, I knew I was in good hands. She immediately realized that I needed a different type of ostomy bag, that putty was required to compensate for the creases in my body and that seals and a belt were needed to ensure that the bag would remain secure. She also addressed the skin damage that had occurred because of leakage.
Shay patiently typed out instructions for home care and answered my questions, as well as those of my husband who was taking copious notes on a legal pad. She sorted through my bag of ostomy products, explaining which products I should use and how to use them and added some new products. She created a bag change kit for me that had everything I needed in one compact case. Shay even contacted an ostomy supply manufacturer to send me samples of what I would need. I got those samples the next day! Those samples held me over until I could place and receive an order from an ostomy product supplier. Shay even gave me a supply company's catalog and marked the pages so that I would know what to order.
Over the course of several visits, she dealt with a variety of challenges and made tweaks to my home care routine. By the time I was ready for a colonoscopy, she had trained my husband in bag changing techniques so well that my surgeon allowed him into the recovery area to change my bag. The recovery nurse said she never could have done what my husband did.
Shay made herself available by email and telephone to address ongoing problems, even on her days off. We got one email from her at 10:50 at night, providing detailed instruction on how to use a different skin preparation when my skin looked particularly irritated.
All the above examples demonstrate Shay's competence and skill. But even more importantly, they demonstrate the caring, compassion and creativity that make Shay so outstanding. Her sense of humor and her ability to think outside the box made what could have been grueling visits positive learning experiences. Shay made a huge difference in my life and she is a true DAISY Nurse.