We first were served by Catherine when my husband came to the ER with cardiac symptoms. We had waited in the "waiting room" for 3 hours, missed meals and as my husband's situation unfolded she remained patient, calm, reassuring, and gentle which helped us as a serious medical condition unfolded. Because we had not eaten 2 meals, Catherine ordered my husband food and went and got me a sandwich. It got us through a very long day until he was placed in a room.
We had a return trip to the ER. We were pleasantly surprised that Catherine was our nurse again. The same care, service and added on her plate - she was training a paramedic student. She was caring for my husband and guiding the student to do the "hands-on" care she gives with ease and calm spirit. She went the extra step to double-check my husband's hemoglobin as it was very low, just to be sure.
Our personal situation was even more stressful as I shared that my 89-year-old mom was a patient on the same floor my husband was going to. While my husband was getting situated I went to be with my mom. Catherine came to find me in my mom's room to let me know my husband was in his ICU room, put her arms around me and gave me a hug, which under the stress of the two loved ones in the hospital felt like a God wrapping his arms around me saying - "It's going to be okay."
Catherine has not only great nursing skills, she serves people, the human side of what sets her apart as extraordinary care. Caring for the whole person, including their loved ones. You cannot train that - care and compassion combined with skill equal Extraordinary Nurses.
She made a difference in a very delicate day for me - I felt like I was going to "break" - bouncing between both my husband being admitted to ICU after a long process of quadruple bypass 5 weeks and my 89-year-old mother who was getting weaker as her body and brain were shutting down.
I'm grateful for medical professionals like Catherine. You have many we've encountered but Catherine hit home twice with us.