As my father was rushed to the hospital we quickly found ourselves in the CICU, where we would meet Zach as he worked the evening shift. Granted, we were dealing with quite a few health issues with our father prior to this evening (Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis and Heart Disease), Saturday evening turned out to be an evening of more blood work and testing, trying to pinpoint where the internal bleeding was coming from. During this evening, Zach was subject to our family wit, whereas, no one is safe. Zach fit right in making us all feel at ease during this time and even taking one from our father. During our introduction Saturday evening, Zach could not have been more professional and comforting to my father during this time of need. Saturday evening, I left for the night as my brother stayed behind in case an emergency arose.
As we rolled into the evening shift on Sunday, Zach was present again. This evening consisted of rest to make ready for a Monday morning procedure that should not take long at all. I decided that this evening I would stay in the hospital with dad and my brother in hopes that my brother would get some rest from the previous night. During the late hours of Sunday evening, Zach again was an absolute professional in everything he did. Based on some signs that my father was giving, Zach knew right there that it was an upper GI bleed that we were also dealing with. Again, Zach, knowing all that we were dealing with, continued to make my father as comfortable as could be, knowing what was in store in the morning. Throughout the early morning, Zach and I would communicate as to what could be expected and Zach continued, when our father was awake, to fit right in with the joking, which was welcome considering our situation.
What truly makes Zach stand out was his compassion, understanding of our situation, being part of the "family" (even though for a very short period of time), and overall care during our final hours together. More times than not, the human touch is overlooked due to "policies and procedures" and a sterile atmosphere. You can easily tell that Zach has a thoughtful soul. It is the soul within us all that generates righteousness, compassion, a quest for knowledge, and the ability to have compassion during our darkest days.
I spoke to Zach a week after losing our father. In our conversation, he had mentioned that he went down with our father that Monday morning for his procedure. I can honestly say that I know my father was being handled with care with Zach right there by his side. Deep down, I think Zach knew we were facing an uphill battle, but he was right there battling with us, never wavering. My family and I cannot thank Zach enough for his services to calm and comfort us. Zach made an impact on my life as well!