Konstantin has the ability to make me feel comfortable, warm, and cared for, while in the hospital. I have high-functioning autism and I have decided to write this pseudo-first-person narrative, I hope you enjoy our story.
As an autistic 32-year-old, I find the world very challenging. Simple things that most people think nothing of are daunting—or maybe even impossible—for me. One of those things is coming to the hospital. I know the ER exists for emergencies, but I do not like burdening people. I also know that because of my autism, I have special needs that are outside the regular routines and practices of the nursing staff and others. After talking with my girlfriend for two hours, I relented and went to the ED when I was then admitted and brought back to the surgical ICU step down unit.
I have had four neurosurgeries in about a month and psychologically -not to mention, physically—this has been very hard on my body. I have PTSD from spending 10 months in the hospital, 6 of them in the ICU from a post-op infection from the first instance of having cord compression, viz. cauda equina syndrome. Given my issues with the hospital environment, I knew being at Maimonides for an extended stay was going to be troublesome. So, I told the doctors immediately that I have autism, as well as the nurses, and gave them some information so they could best do their jobs. Everybody was professional and caring, and everybody made me feel cared for. Not for one minute did I feel like a "freak" and I am very grateful for that.
When I met Konstantin a few weeks ago I introduced myself as autistic; I told him some of my triggers, what I do to self-soothe, how he could be supportive and told him "I am a non-confrontational, nice person in general. Just speak to me in a slow, soft voice, you may have to repeat yourself, but I am listening, and I will hear you." He smiles and squeezed my hand and said, "We got this!" in a very forceful tone that made me feel that I am in good hands!
The award prompt asks me to talk about specific things that show his going above and beyond and language like that. The thing is, I don't think Konstantin treated me any differently than any of his other patients, which is exactly how he went above and beyond in making me feel safe and cared for at Maimonides. I am not exaggerating when I say that I have had experiences where I have felt bona fide tortured in medical settings by staff and its policies. I never once felt anything remotely like that with Konstantin.
Konstantin was able to plan ahead, think about my needs, anticipate any potential problems, and solve them before they happened. He did this while juggling a very diverse patient population, being overworked and working very, very hard. I know he had a similar impact on all his patients; he is amazing, and he is young, you are so fortunate to have such a strong-willed, smart, capable nurse working at your hospital. I hope he finds himself going into administration to put his thoughtful touch on the place as he progresses in his career.
In sum, Konstantin was extraordinary because he did his job as a nurse with grace, skill, compassion, alacrity and always with a smile on his face or a laugh at his side. Nurses, doctors, admins, etc. don't realize it (but the patients, who are seeing him on one of the worst days of their life certainly do!), but it is the little acts of kindness, the compassion, the gestures, that nobody makes a mental tally of, that makes the patient ultimately feel comfortable, safe and cared for. This is what Konstantin excelled at!
Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Konstantin, for all the help you have given me while I was a patient here. I may not know everybody's name, but I could not have walked to an Uber that will take me to my apartment upon discharge without all of you!