When I was a child, I lost my mother due to a tragic anesthesia complication during a C-section at Meriter. Although it has been over 30 years and I have received countless hours of therapy to work through my feelings regarding this loss, I was confronted with a severe sense of panic and fear when I stepped into the pre-op department for my own procedure. I quickly began using my coping skill tools to deal with my anxiety. The biggest tool quickly became my nurse, Denise. She sincerely listened to me and my concerns and needs. She didn't appear to make any judgements or treat me like I was a nuisance. Despite being extremely busy with other patients, she made me feel like I was her only one. She became my advocate, listened to what I needed, made sure that I was in control of whatever I could be. She presented ideas to provide comfort to me and advocated for my needs to other providers. She made sure I had uninterrupted time with the anesthetist prior to my surgery so that I could get every question answered which allowed me to feel safe moving forward. By the time I was wheeled away to the OR, I felt heard, validated, advocated for, safe, and loved.

She transformed a scared, shaking patient into a woman who was ready to face one of her biggest fears. Every single thing Nurse Denise did for me mattered in ways I cannot fully put words to, she gave me incredible strength. She is a true gift, not just to our hospital and field of nursing, but to our society.