... After my fall I found myself on a bed in a scary room. I was still traumatized and having a lot of pain and had just been moved from the emergency department. Candice was the first face I saw. She came to my room with a smile on her face and a positive attitude. She introduced herself and told me she had some questions to ask before she sent me off to surgery. She began asking me some personal questions and then she stopped. My eyes must have been full of tears because she held my hand and told me that surgery was going to go well and she would be waiting for me when I got back. Without knowing this young woman I asked her for a hug. Without hesitation she reached right into my bed and gave me a hug, a real hug, not just a hug that felt like she was scared to touch me. A hug like we had known each other for years. After a few seconds I told her I was ready to go. The operating room assistant had just come in the room to whisk me off to surgery. Candice held my hand and walked with me down to the doors where I was taken into the pre-op room.

Although everyone I encountered was great, I felt Candice was excellent. I told her I would see her when I came back and she told me to "break a leg" and smiled, which made me laugh. I don't remember much immediately after surgery, but I do remember she came to check on me and introduced me to my nurse for the shift. She checked on me multiple times throughout the night and brought me countless warm blankets as I am always cold.

The best part of this story is that for the next 2 or 3 days Candice would stop in every day to say hello and check on me, even when she wasn't my nurse. I am so incredibly thankful for the care I received from all the staff at SRM. After my discharge home I was looking for ways to thank all the wonderful staff and when I found out about the DAISY Award, I knew I had to nominate this young lady.