My husband was bicycling one morning when he was intentionally struck and then run over by a person driving a vehicle. My husband sustained many broken bones, and a severe wound to his mid-section. After a stressful day in ER in two different hospitals, he was placed in a room in the orthopedic department.
I am writing to inform St. Francis of an incredibly outstanding nurse in that department named Brian. It has been almost three months, but the impact Brian had on our lives has not been forgotten. Brian was beyond compassionate. As the shift started, he was highly informative and addressed my many questions as a professional. I became aware as our first night unfolded that Brian was a careful listener and made sure I understood his answers. I watched in appreciation as many times during the night Brian examined my husband with great focus. It was immensely comforting that my husband had such an attentive nurse that first night. Having Brian on watch made me thankful we were in such a great hospital for what turned out to be a three-week stay. When Brian needed to communicate with my husband, he whispered to him, used soothing, reassuring words, and he graciously apologized for anything that might have caused the slightest discomfort to him.
There was a moment early in the shift when I explained how concerned I was about the wedding band that I couldn't remove from his finger. Brian concurred that the wedding band definitely needed to be removed and after explaining the procedure to my husband, he spent some time successfully sliding the ring off. I was so relieved. My husband subsequently swelled up terribly in the next days, and I was so grateful that Brian had responded so efficiently to the matter without the slightest complaint.
One piece of advice which Brian offered me was something that reiterated in my mind during my husband's three-week stay. I commented to him when he came in during the middle of the night that I guessed I would not be able to sleep that night. He said, just remember that even the smallest amounts of sleep, an hour here, an hour there, can be beneficial. He told me not to worry if I didn't get a full night's sleep. That was comforting, and I appreciated it. My husband and I have been married 33 years, but have no children or parents. I felt like I was in the situation all alone in many ways. I greatly appreciated Brian's confident presence and compassionate care.