Greetings, first I must preface this by explaining that I am a disabled Marine Corps Veteran. I have spent the last 18 years in and out of Active Duty, Federal Health Care, and the Department of Veteran Affairs Medical Facilities, where I have met and had close interactions with well over 200 nurses.

While the doctors are a major part of the VA Health Care experience, those of us that spend hours & hours and days & days in-patient know that the nursing staff is the backbone of the Military Health Care System. Moreover, they are the ones that get the brunt of the Veterans who have been pushed around and given up on and are in the mindset of ending it all. We all know the high rate of Veteran suicide. To explain the entire how & why of what brought me here to the James A Lowell FHCC would take pages & days to explain, so long story short I will bullet item my story:

- 2005: Joined USMC
- 2006: Overseas during my first tour abroad
- 2006: 2009 VAHC & Active Duty Health Systems tried to heal my Chronic Pain
- 2009: Honorable Discharge & hooked on pain medication
- 2009: 2017 VA Keeps me on Opioids until one day they cut us all off, forcing us all to the streets, and not sending us to Rehab.
- 2017- Present: got off Heroin but still have issues with alcohol.

I have gone to Rehab multiple times and have to sometimes come detox off of alcohol medically because I have seizures and may die.

First off it is intimidating & embarrassing coming to the hospital to stop drinking and Victor was very supportive without a single negative thing. His care was overly compassionate and I instantly felt like I could trust him. I was able to get deeper into why I was there and he offered many good things to say to keep me positive even when I was getting physically sick and having panic attacks, anxiety-induced sweats, and irritability.

Commander Victor is a clear communicator and I knew what to expect as time went on. Even as we had to figure out meds and fix my IV multiple times, he was able to multi-task and work well with his fellow staff. I noticed him constantly making his rounds, passing on knowledge to others. When he had a question about something in regard to my equipment, he did not hesitate to ask for help, pay attention, and learn/perfect a new skill as another nurse came in to walk him through it. After which everything was fixed.

He talked me through multiple attacks and went above and beyond any kind of care I have ever had. I felt heard, respected, and cared for. I will be telling my fellow Vets to come here from now on, and that is important because I traditionally do my health care in Chicago at Jesse Brown VAMC. If patient-centered care creates trust and provides excellent care, leaving the patient heard and understood, then I highly recommend Commander Victor USN for The DAISY Award.