I have ulcerative colitis. Tomorrow afternoon I have a colonoscopy and I needed an NG tube. However, it wasn't just one and done; it took 4 different tubes to get it right. Sheila said that in her 16 years she's never seen anything like this happen before. She was only a part of this for the last two tries when her shift started. I requested for her to be my night nurse too because I loved her so much when she helped me a few nights ago. Anyway, as soon as she was thrown into my NG situation she immediately came up with a way the whole process would be easier for me. We figured out that if we administered morphine directly before administering the tube, it made me a lot more relaxed; even though I was never combative, to begin with. It was great that I had the freedom to say, "pause" and "continue" while they were inserting the tube because it made taking it a lot easier. The only reason I had that privilege is because Sheila trusted me enough to know I would continue even if we had to pause for a second. Once the tube had been fully inserted, Sheila ordered, then went and got Chloraseptic spray for my throat so the tube would be as comfortable as possible. She also regularly makes sure I'm fully stocked on water, apple juice (for my throat), heat packs (for my IV arm), and ice packs (for my always painful abdomen). I always feel like I'm a priority to Sheila. She has a fabulous response time and is always smiling when she walks into my room. It's just nice to see a happy face, especially when you've been in isolation for 4 days and the number keeps rising.
No matter what I write I don't feel like I could ever say enough good/nice things about Sheila because she's just beyond amazing. I feel like I wouldn't have enjoyed my stay nearly as much as I did if I hadn't met her. Her quick thinking, positivity, and creativeness helped me get through a pretty rough process and I'm extremely thankful. I believe all nurses are amazing, but I also believe Sheila exceeds that term. She's beautifully, wonderfully, and stunningly amazing. She is literally the embodiment of who a CHOC nurse should be. She's an angel.