I suffered a stroke and was transported by ambulance to the emergency room at Sentara Hospital. I was almost immediately taken for a CAT scan and then returned to my area in the ER. It was at that point that my nurse, Desiri Purks, introduced herself and explained that we would be spending some time together. To address my fear of the unknown, she went on to explain that I would be following a strict protocol.
To address my anxiety, she changed the subject to dogs and specifically that she was adopting a boxer. She had learned that this subject was near and dear to my heart and actively sought my advice on how to acclimate her new dog to her home environment and listened attentively to my incessant and boring ramblings thus refocusing my thoughts on more pleasant subjects.
Later, she personally escorted me to the ICU and explained the importance of monitoring my condition. She went above and beyond normal nursing expectations and demonstrated that she truly cared about my condition. In retrospect, it was as though the Lord sent me my own personal angel to escort me through the nightmare I endured, to ease my fears and minister to my condition.