I was transferred from a local hospital where I felt like taking care of me was a burden to the nurses. This local hospital had a nurse complaining where patients could hear her about everyone deciding to come to the emergency room that night. When I was about to be transferred to NMC I asked for another gown to put around the back of my open gown, I was told no. When the ambulance crew delivered me to my room at NMC I felt like I had fallen through the looking glass into a new compassionate world. My RN Jenny Ptacek explained as we got settled what was going on. I asked for a second gown and got it, as well as the shower I wanted to take. Jenny and the rest of the staff showed care and compassion. I knew they were there for me! You heal much faster when you don't feel like you are a burden.

Jenny is an outstanding nurse. She listened carefully to what I had to say and kept me informed about when the doctors would be in to see me. During the time I was there and while discussing stress, I shared with Jenny that I had lost two brothers during 2011, both at young ages. She told me that she had lost her 38-year old brother during the past year. What a comfort to know that someone else knew about the hole you have in your heart after these kinds of losses. She asked me how I dealt with it. After thinking for a minute, I told her that I was a lot closer to God than I used to be and my faith leads me to believe that I will someday see them again. This was a very healing moment for me to be able to tell how I was managing with a hope of helping someone else.

Thank you for having Jenny on your staff. She is a very special person and an excellent nurse.