This is Easter Sunday. Not a good day for my husband. Every day we pray tomorrow will be sunshine. It’s been a long road since Thanksgiving. Easter has to be a good day.

My husband woke at four in the morning with extreme pain. He is a great man who is kind and seldom complains. In all these months, he never really admitted the pain. He struggled through the pain and cat scans, x-rays, comparing those taken a few days before.

Something has changed and he must have surgery again. A doctor, who is new to us, is on call. It takes most of the day and the doctor is in our room, a lot. I had to keep up a good outlook for my husband.

We kiss and say good-bye. My world crumbles. Fourth time to surgery. Bad reaction to anesthesia. Back to ICU. How strong must my husband be?

Then Big John passes our door. “Lay down your IV poll and get back to ICU!” John, is now a patient! He is taking one of his first walks. He comes into our room. Comforts me, talks to me, re-assures me as a friend, as a nurse, as a very devoted man to what he does and his job.

The relationships and respect from the trust you get while having a person you love in the ICU lasts forever. We are very grateful for everything the staff has done for us.