I was recently hospitalized for 6 days at Danbury Hospital for a perforated appendix. I was overall very impressed with my care. From orderlies to aides, to assistant nurses, to nurses, doctors, and teams, everyone was supportive and impressively competent and professional. I was lucky enough to have Linda Mikolajczyk as one of my nurses.
While in no way in taking any credit away from the other caregivers, it was immediately apparent that Linda brought something special to my care. It was clear that I was "her" patient and she was with me in the battle to recover while providing any support that I needed. Linda unfailingly included me as a member of the care team, not as a passive recipient of care. She went to extra lengths to explain what was in each and every drip bag, what each injection was for. When it took an almost herculean effort to get up and walk the halls, she conveyed a powerful attitude of "you can do this", which in fact helped to motivate me to do so as to not disappoint her.
The floor was incredibly busy, and her phone would be ringing nonstop. I was amazed at her ability to provide concise and calm answers to each caller, all while continuing to complete the necessary things for my care. I never felt abandoned or ignored during those times. Linda's continuous level of empathy was always apparent. If she did get called away, she told me that she would be back in an unfailing fashion to continue where she left off.
As my path towards recovery progressed, I made more frequent trips to the bathroom which resulted in such pain that I dreaded each time. Of all my care staff, Linda was the only one I felt comfortable enough to ask if there was something to help. What might have been an awkward discussion with anyone else, was handled as a matter of routine. And the Calazyme Ointment that she immediately provided made the problem vanish. What a boost to my morale!Again, I rate Danbury Hospital very highly for the excellent care that it provided to me.