Nothing could prepare us for the aftermath of my father's tracheostomy. We were informed of all the medical terms, procedures, and possible complications. It was the silence that was deafening. Our speech is more a part of our identity than our physical appearance. The horrific reality of the situation occurred the moment my father woke up and tried to speak. It only worsened when he could not write due to the skin graft that was harvested from his right breast. His inability to communicate, with the exception of his eyebrows, left us breathless.
Albany Medical Center is located in upstate NY. While Albany is the capital of NY, its reputation and recognition pale in comparison to that of New York City's. When considering my father's options, it occurred to us to travel to ahospital in NYC for this procedure. We knew he would be hospitalized for nearly two weeks, and Albany Medical Center has a fantastic reputation in our area, so we decided to keep him close to home. It was the right decision.
It is no wonder that our nurse, Zachary DeBartolo has found a place here. While everyone at the hospital goes above and beyond Zachary stands out above all the others. His positive energy, attention to detail, acute awareness to safety, and passion for the care of his patients is evident in everything he does. Zachary acted as our front man. He kept us updated on my father's progress and advocated for his care. He was forthcoming with information and made sure we understood everything. He always entered the room with a positive energy and never let the looming despair of our room penetrate into how he approached us. He cared for us in a way that was personal, professional, and without comparison. Whether it was a "knock knock" joke, a personal tale, or a genuine smile, his spirits alone kept our attitudes positive and our hearts warm. My father never once asked me to get 'the nurse' it was always 'find Zach', a true testament to the level of care Zach provided.
In addition to being an extraordinary nurse while caring for my father, he is pursuing his master's degree, teaching other nurses in the ICU, participating in the hospital's safety committee, and is clearly someone who his peers look up to and seek for advice. Zachary goes above and beyond in everything he does and seeks personal accomplishments with selflessness and sincerity.
The Albany Medical Center ICU is a better place because of Zachary. Our lives are better for having met him, and my father's mental and physical wellbeing are intact because of him. As Zachary continues to grow in his professional career, he will continue to be a husband, father, and most importantly an exceptional human being. Zach has experienced some of the most intimate parts of our lives and he made each day more bearable.