Tina Dreger
October 2021
Tina
Dreger
,
RN
Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit
Texoma Medical Center
Denison
,
TX
United States
I felt comfortable with every staff member, but when Tina walked into J's room on the days she worked, my breaking heart was calmed a tiny bit.
Tina was my rock the entire time my husband was fighting for his life. I first met her on the phone while J was in isolation and on ECMO. Then, I met her face-to-face when I was able to make window visits. Once my husband was moved out of isolation and I was able to be with him in the CVICU, Tina was his nurse multiple days each week. She not only explained in detail the aspects of his condition and care, but she cared for me, too. Her compassionate heart was evident the first time I talked with her, but even on the hardest days, she comforted me greatly.
Early on Tuesday before J died, he coded and was revived for the first time. Tina was not working that morning, but after I called our children, I asked another nurse if Tina could be called. After my family, she was the one I needed the most, and even if she was not there, I needed her to know things had taken a turn for the worse. I knew she would care and would pray.
Tina returned to work the next day, and she was J’s dayshift nurse in the final days leading up to his death. She was also his nurse the morning of this death. On the darkest day of my life, Tina Dreger and her coworkers held me up, both literally and figuratively. She and eight or nine others from CVICU attended my husband's memorial the following week. She has kept in touch with me and responded to my grief-stricken texts many times with encouragement, shared sadness, and prayer. I felt comfortable with every staff member, but when Tina walked into J's room on the days she worked, my breaking heart was calmed a tiny bit. When she looked into my eyes the morning of J's death and told me that she and the Doctor felt it was time to call my children, I knew she was heartbroken as well. I could go on and on and on about her and the other nurses, doctors, and entire staff in CVICU, but the bottom line is that Tina is my family now, as they all are. I can never repay the debt I owe to TMC for the care provided to my J (and me) in the last 33 days of his life.
Early on Tuesday before J died, he coded and was revived for the first time. Tina was not working that morning, but after I called our children, I asked another nurse if Tina could be called. After my family, she was the one I needed the most, and even if she was not there, I needed her to know things had taken a turn for the worse. I knew she would care and would pray.
Tina returned to work the next day, and she was J’s dayshift nurse in the final days leading up to his death. She was also his nurse the morning of this death. On the darkest day of my life, Tina Dreger and her coworkers held me up, both literally and figuratively. She and eight or nine others from CVICU attended my husband's memorial the following week. She has kept in touch with me and responded to my grief-stricken texts many times with encouragement, shared sadness, and prayer. I felt comfortable with every staff member, but when Tina walked into J's room on the days she worked, my breaking heart was calmed a tiny bit. When she looked into my eyes the morning of J's death and told me that she and the Doctor felt it was time to call my children, I knew she was heartbroken as well. I could go on and on and on about her and the other nurses, doctors, and entire staff in CVICU, but the bottom line is that Tina is my family now, as they all are. I can never repay the debt I owe to TMC for the care provided to my J (and me) in the last 33 days of his life.