I am in the Dietary service and move around a lot for my position. I began noticing quite a bit of pain in my lower leg. I attributed it to a pulled muscle and tried to work through it. Each day it seemed to be getting worse. Each step came with what I felt like was excruciating pain. Being a man, I didn't want to be "that guy" who went to the emergency room with a pulled muscle, so I kept working. I was delivering food to one of the units and the nurse asked me what happened and why I was limping. I wanted to shrug it off, but I told her what I had been going through and that it didn't seem to be getting better, actually worse. And I felt out of breath doing things when I usually would not have had that reaction. This nurse said she wanted to check a few things. She took my vitals and assessed me and told me there was a very real possibility - probability - that I had a blood clot and that I needed to go immediately to the ED. I was a little shaken, called my supervisor to send over a replacement, and heeded this nurse's advice. In the ED they took me back right away based on my symptoms. This also shook me as I anticipated a long wait as the more important and serious cases go first. It was discovered that I did indeed have a blot clot. Part of it had already broken off and was in my right lung. I was admitted and began treatment. I went through a litany of tests and thankfully there was not indication my heart was in danger at this point. If I had ignored my symptoms for even another day, the result could have been much worse - even fatal. I am back at work now after several days in the hospital and on a regimen of medications to get better. I guess I owe my life to Malissa and her being willing to take the time to ask what was going on and help me. She could easily have focused just on her job of taking care of patients and not bothered with a limping dietary guy. She is a nurse on the unit taking care of our patients but he proved to be a nurse at her core - seeing a need and taking action. Thank you, Malissa!