I have been a patient in the ICU at PVH for 10 days now. It has been a terrifying experience. Through all of this Val has cared for me and connected with me in a way like no other. She was so present with me, she encouraged me, cared for me and pushed me in the most kind way. She would touch me and look me in the eye with words of encouragement that helped me get to the other side.
The first day we met, she said "we are going to have to dig deep into your strength and get through this together, you are not alone, I will be here with you the whole way". My family also found her to be pretty amazing. They were across the country when I became ill. I wasn't even aware of how ill I was. Val connected with my parents and helped them to understand the situation and more importantly she gave them the confidence that I was getting the absolute best care. She was this same way with my friends, they all commented about how well she communicated with them, especially when she needed to protect my boundaries and rest instead of visit.
Every day I was in the ICU I looked forward to Val coming on shift. We had many private moments where we both shared our feelings and we will be bonded forever. She is an angel; she is an amazing nurse who is well deserving of the DAISY Award. She has been a bright flower to me and I attribute my recover in part to her.