I was a patient at Mercy South this year. I had surgery and was diagnosed with cancer at 44 years old and I don't have a history of cancer in my family so all of this was quite a surprise. I had a more invasive, open surgery. During my time at Mercy South, I had an issue after surgery. It was a difficult and often painful stay which I was not prepared for nor did I anticipate the complications.
All of your staff were incredibly helpful and compassionate. I received excellent care from the nursing staff and the nurse assistants were equally helpful and compassionate. However, one nurse in particular really stood out and that is Shonata.
Shonata cared for me on the evening shift on Friday, Saturday and Sunday night. She is not only a very good nurse but an amazing person. She demonstrated so much compassion not only for me but for my wife who stayed with me throughout this whole ordeal. It's difficult as a formerly strong, healthy man to be put in such a vulnerable situation but the way Shonata treated me and dealt with my issues made me feel comfortable and allowed me to keep my dignity. She was so kind and considerate; never missing an opportunity to encourage me when walking or giving positive vibes throughout her contact with me. There were many instances when Shonata made an impact on me in the way she cared for me, but I wanted to share two stories in particular that I feel went way above and beyond what most nurses would normally do.
My wife and I were frustrated because we were not getting all of the answers we wanted from the doctor during his early morning visits. She suggested writing down our concerns and presenting them to the doctor the next day. Some of what we were asking was pretty specific and Shonata wasn't certain of the answers herself. She left my room and returned a short time later with two more experienced nurses. Shonata had tracked down these two nurses who had more experience with my issues and they were able to answer many of the questions we had. Shonata went out of her way to make us feel more comfortable and to help put our minds at ease.
On her last night as my nurse, I was visited by my surgeon in the early morning hours while Shonata was still on duty. We received some bad news about the pathology from my surgery. Shonata was comforting to both me and my wife. She hugged my wife and remained positive about the upcoming treatment I would need. She stayed with us until we were able to compose ourselves and truly helped us feel better about my prognosis. That Monday also happened to be my birthday. After Shonata was relieved from duty that morning (and was no longer being paid to be there) she returned to my room about an hour after her shift had ended. She had purchased a dessert for me and my wife to celebrate my birthday once I was better. She also had bought and wrapped a framed picture with an inspirational quote and gave me a birthday card. Inside the card, Shonata had written a kind message of encouragement and included a comforting bible verse. I can't tell you how much that meant to me and my wife. For someone, I had only known for a few days, over a couple of nights to make such a considerate gesture, and with her own money, was remarkable to me. She truly made an impact on me.
Shonata is a true DAISY Nurse for her incredible compassion and kindness.