Shirley Search
May 2021
Shirley
Search
,
RN
Cardiovascular Management Unit
Grandview Medical Center / Kettering Health
Dayton
,
OH
United States
Shirley was not my nurse but in her free time, she would stop by just to say hi and see how I was doing. She made me feel like more than just one more patient.
During my stay at GVH for 25 days, I had many wonderful nurses all deserving of praise for their dedication. Among the group of fantastic nurses, one, in particular, deserves special recognition, Shirley, RN Cardiac Care. My admission was due to a ruptured appendix requiring ileocecectomy. The Post-op course was unremarkable until post-op day six, just prior to anticipated dismissal. During the night before, I developed new pain not yet experienced post-op in the upper abdomen, left flank, and back. I alerted Shirley, RN who assessed the situation and advised the resident on-call. Shirley reported back that the resident thought the pain was just part of the recent surgery. I assured Shirley indeed it was not and something else was going on. Rather than just dismissing the situation, Shirley continued to monitor me. I don’t know how things transpired behind the scenes, but Shirley stayed by my side and in spite of being busy, never let me out of her sight. Early the next morning, my surgical attending and his crew personally transported me to CT scan. The scan revealed a new-onset spontaneous intracapsular rupture of the spleen. I was transported to KMC interventional radiology for splenic embolization in lieu of potentially hazardous surgery. About one week after dismissal, another hospitalization occurred for five days for ileus with GI bleed from Grade D esophagitis and lower esophageal bleed. During that brief stay, Shirley was not my nurse but in her free time, she would stop by just to say hi and see how I was doing. She made me feel like more than just one more patient. Losing over 30 lbs. (to 168), loss of muscle mass, loss of appetite, anemia, and shortness of breath have all been part of a slow recovery. Still week by week, I am regaining weight and strength with decreased shortness of breath and improved exercise tolerance. My journey is not over with a recheck CT scan, recheck EGD, and hematology/oncology evaluation planned. What isn’t planned is any further surgery with an expected six months recovery if everything goes well. While all this had been an unexpected challenge for me and my wife, I often think back to Shirley, the one person who during that night believed me and took whatever action was needed while staying by my side. I know Shirley helped save my life. Therefore, for the obvious reason, as well as recognition of her constant pleasant demeanor, true professional dedication, and clinical nursing acumen, I want to recognize Shirley.