I was admitted to the ACE unit when I met Brooke Adams. I was having very difficult issues with breathing and just did not feel well at all. The entire time I was not feeling well, Brooke was always there, trying to help me feel better. She was rubbing my back, giving me advice on how to breathe more slowly and deeply. She consistently gave me good and effective advice about what to do. She was consistently bringing me pain medications so I would feel relief from the pain. She was always asking, "do I need anything?" She was on top of everything!
When she was spending this time with me, I could see she was taken away from her other patients. I said, "I know you have other patients who you need to take care of." Brooke's response: "but you need me now, so I am here."
Brooke also was responsible for completing some of my admission history, and we starting talking about my medical history - all the surgeries I have endured and everything I have gone through in my life. Brooke actively listened, showed genuine compassion for every word I was saying. She also shared with me some things about her personal life, which I appreciated.
During the conversation with Brooke, I just kept feeling more and more comfortable with her. I felt I could trust her. I have had a personal experience that has affected my life that I have only shared with very close family, like my sisters. I have not even shared this experience with my husband. As I was talking to Brooke, I suddenly felt that I could tell her about this experience and that it would benefit me if I shared it with her.
When I did this experience with Brooke, again her compassion and genuine empathy caring nature shined. She is such a wonderful nurse and I will never forget what relief and understanding I felt from her after our conversation. I will never forget Brooke and I will always feel grateful for what she did for me during my hospital stay.