I had to bring my 4-year-old son H to the Emergency Room at Ahuja after he sliced off the tip of his left thumb on an exercise bicycle. Our first ever ER visit, my bleeding child, and during the Covid pandemic, I was panicked to say the very least. From the second we arrived and for every minute during our 2 hour visit, the staff could not have been more friendly, kind, and supportive to both of us. From registration through discharge, every single staff person we came into contact with was absolutely amazing. Our nurse, Natalie Weekley checked on us frequently, was quick to get my son’s medications, and answered any question or request we had. Despite all he went through that night, H had such a positive experience at the ER, and I can’t be more grateful to everyone. What 4 year old describes the ER as fun?!

For the last 8 months, I have (half) joked with H that, as he jumped off furniture, we couldn’t go to the ER because of Covid so he was scared when I told him that’s where we were headed after his injury. For the entire time we were in the ER that night, I forgot about Covid. None of these staff members demonstrated any form of healthcare exhaustion, pandemic fatigue, or frustration.

As a past University Hospital employee and a social worker, I understand how difficult healthcare can be. The hours are demanding, expectations high, and you often anger more people than you please. I can only imagine how that is now magnified during the pandemic. What was such a scary event for H and me, was made so much better by these ER staff members.

While I hope I don’t have to see them again anytime soon, I also know with an active, 4 year old boy, it is potentially not our last visit to the ER. Knowing that these are the people to take care of my family and me when we get there makes me feel so much better. Healthcare delivery is hard, and this time is hard-yet all of these people made it seem easy and for that, I am so very appreciative.