I've had Crohn's Disease for 37 years now and have seen my fair share of nurses. Pam has been my nurse for the past 2+ years and I must say, I've never received better treatment. Pam has gone way above and beyond her responsibilities to ensure I have the best care. Some examples follow:
I wanted to try to go for a walk around the block when I came home from the hospital. Knowing I was home alone and not wanting me to go by myself, Pam came with me. She continually kept checking on me during the walk to make sure I was doing okay.
On one of her visits, I was extremely ill and had a doctor's appointment that day. Pam was concerned and followed me to my doctor. She joined me in the exam room so that she could talk to the doctor with me. I then had to go to another doctor and Pam followed me there and stayed with me the entire time. She was not only receiving firsthand information from the doctors but also helped put me at ease and insured my safety.
On another visit, I was extremely ill. I did not have a doctor's appointment, but Pam wanted me to see one on that day. There were no openings, therefore, I could not get an appointment. She contacted the doctor's office and expressed her concern, which resulted in me being able to see the doctor that day.
When I am having a bad day (just not feeling well), Pam will follow up with me in the afternoon and subsequent days until I am feeling better. I am a relatively new grandmother. Pam had the opportunity of meeting my granddaughter and on her next visit, brought a sucker for her. Now, I'm pretty sure that Pam doesn't have suckers laying around, therefore, had to make a stop to purchase this.
I could continue but am pretty sure that these few actions certainly demonstrate Pam's dedication to her profession.
Pam makes me feel like I'm the only person in the world. When she comes for her weekly visit, she's never looking at her watch or rushing through my appointment. She will get answers to any questions I have and stays with me if she has any concerns.
When you look at the definition of Pam's job, I'm sure it is to just make sure my port access is changed weekly and labs are drawn every other week. Pam has never done this. She's taken time to get to know me and my family, my likes and dislikes, and knows how stubborn I can be. She doesn't view her job as "work". She views it as a true "caregiver" and has had such a positive impact on my life. For these and many other reasons, Pam certainly deserves a DAISY Award.
Thank you, Pam, from the bottom of my heart.