Shelly is an incredibly compassionate care giver who, from the moment I was admitted to 4 RCP, made me feel safe and special. When my wife and daughter visited, she made them feel the same way. We shared many laughs together (and we all know that laughter is the best medicine!)
One of the most important moments at UIHC came after I'd been told by physicians that I would probably need to have part of my colon removed and have a colostomy for up to a year. Not only was this personally very depressing, I was scared to death that it would be a serious impediment to my ability to do my work. While the clinicians did a great job of explaining the medical carpentry of this treatment, it was Shelly who explained at a practical level how it would work, described how I could manage the inconvenience and still continue my work, and shared examples of other people who had accommodated themselves to a colostomy.
I am absolutely convinced that one of the reasons I will end up not needing this surgery is that Shelly did so much to relieve the stress and anxiety of anticipating it, and that contribution has been as or more important to my healing than the medical treatment.