My 1½ year old baby boy was brought by ambulance to the ER. He began having a seizure at home due to a fever. It was the most terrifying day of my life.
As a nurse, I've heard about febrile (fever) seizures, but when it's your own child, you lose all nursing knowledge and go into panic mode. I was alone at home when it happened; he turned blue, the seizure lasted for what seemed like forever and my anxiety was through the roof when I followed the stretcher into the ER. And there she was, sweet Tara.
Her eyes met mine and she immediately came to my rescue. I knew Tara from the birth of her children, in fact I was her nurse for one of them. Tara was in charge that day. I knew that she was busy, but she never made me feel that way. She was by my side, reassuring me, holding my hand and keeping me informed.
My son ended up having another long seizure. People were rushing in, it was a whirlwind. I was still by myself watching my baby convulse, he was unresponsive, and his oxygen levels were dropping. Tara was right there, the whole time. The whole team worked quickly to stabilize my son.
Everyone was very empathetic and concerned. I remember looking to my right, meeting a sympathetic face and crying on her shoulder. I don't even know who that sweet lady was, but I was so desperate and helpless. Tara started an IV to give my son the medicine he needed to stop his seizure, she also escorted me to the CT scan even though it wasn't her responsibility. We were in the ER for hours.
My son needed transport to York because the Pediatric Unit was full. Tara went out of her way to bring me coffee and a snack while we waited. My horrifying experience would have been even worse without Tara. She is an exceptional example of a professional, caring and skillful nurse.
Thank you, Tara, from the bottom of my heart. I will always be grateful for the care you provided to my son and me. You are engrained in my worst memory, making it a little more tolerable to think about.
Thank God for nurses like you!