I had been admitted to the hospital a handful of times over the course of a month due to a set of confusing symptoms. The final time was my longest stay, about 10 days. It was then that the doctors were able to diagnose me with a malignant mass in my intestines. Needless to say, I was terrified, even more so as I had cancer as a child 20 years ago.
Luckily, Felice was my nurse for several of the days I was in the hospital. Not only was she personable, kind, and funny, she was truly compassionate and consoling. She always took the time to answer all of my questions, or find answers to my questions, and helped me understand which medications I was taking and why. It's hard to pinpoint one specific thing that made her amazing because everything she did was done with such kindness and expertise. She made me feel safe, seen, and heard during a time when it felt like I had no control over my life.
I felt totally lost in anxiety, and Felice helped me to understand what the doctors had said, and that I hadn't been given a death sentence. I brought her up to other nurses and each and everyone said that this is just who Felice is. She is conscious of those around her, amazingly empathetic, and an all-around great presence.
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Felice was an amazing, kind, and experienced nurse to my 96-year-old aunt. While Felice only worked with my aunt for one day, she came on the scene at a pivotal moment. After five days of hospitalization from dehydration with an elevated white blood count, the medical team was trying to figure out what was going on with my aunt's confused state and startling aggressive behavior.
It came on rather abruptly and was out of character. With patience and understanding of the complex nature of elderly patients, Felice took the time to quickly educate herself on my aunt's case and took caution in not jumping to conclusions based on short bursts of challenging behavior. It was a stressful time in that decisions were being made on what kind of placement my aunt should get after hospitalization.
In fact, Felice took the time to call me at the end of her shift, after a mercurial day of my aunt's mood swings, to give me a report on how the end of the day went. And though it was not positive but rather that she cycled back to the behavior that started the day, Felice wanted me to be fully informed. She clearly did not have to reach out to me, but I so appreciated the update. This information prepared me for the next day in which my aunt was being transferred to rehabilitation.