I would like to thank my nurse, Terry Pennington from the PACU unit. My 4-year-old daughter fell and broke her arm. We were seen in the ED and then instructed to follow up with the orthopedic surgeon. Not thinking my daughter would need anything more than a cast, she had lunch and we were off to the appointment. At her appointment, we learned that my daughter would need surgery/sedation to re-align her arm and cast. Never going through this type of procedure before, I was a ball of nerves and was trying to hold it together for my daughter. My daughter had been a trooper through the past 24 hours and we wanted to limit her pain as much as possible. Unfortunately, my daughter had eaten lunch, so we had to wait six hours before she could have anesthesia. She was not happy that she could not have a drink of water and asked continuously for a drink and if she would be able to have water after she was done. This seems small but was extremely important to our four-year-old.
Around 6:00 that evening, we checked into the front desk and met Terry Pennington in the lobby. My daughter was grumpy and frustrated that her encounter with the hospital had to continue. We thought from the start that she was not going to make friends with anyone she would meet, however, Terry changed that. If anyone knows my daughter, they would tell you that while she was little, she is fierce and stubborn. She would not speak with Terry and often gave him a bit of a scowl. I remember Terry saying in the elevator, "we don't have to be friends right away, and that's ok, but I will be here with you until you go home". It was heartwarming that he was being so patient and understanding with her. From the minute he met us in the lobby through walking us to our vehicle after the procedure, Terry showed nothing but kindness. Terry was able to connect with her and make her comfortable. He explained everything he was doing and reassured her he was there. They started talking about Spiderman, birthday parties, favorite colors, cartoons, etc. Because my daughter was nervous, she had asked if she could bring her favorite toy lion with her to the Operating Room. Terry not only made that happen but when she returned from the procedure, he had placed the lion in her uncasted hand for her to see when she woke up. As soon as I saw her for the first time after the procedure, I noticed the little lion in her hand and cried. When she came to, her first question was about getting that drink of water. Terry had already prepared a drink for her and had it nice and cold as they had agreed. She drank the whole glass and was absolutely content.
The compassion Terry showed was remarkable. The experience he provided, the comfort he gave my daughter, and the attention to detail were truly outstanding. My daughter still asks about that nurse at the hospital. He left a lasting impression on her and in her eyes, they are the best of buddies now.