I was admitted into the Emergency Room at Mercy Regional Medical Center in Durango CO in the early morning hours for extreme abdominal pain. Two weeks earlier I had undergone a partial knee replacement and had symptoms of gastro and stomach pains leading up to this admission. I initially thought that it was the post-knee surgery pain medicine that brought on the stomach pains. Once the ER through scans and ultrasound determined that I had a bad gallbladder and that the on duty surgeon would perform routine laparoscopic surgery.

That day, the procedure was performed and I was then moved to the recovery room where my “Mercy Angel” Nurse Melissa Wilson whom I had met earlier post-op was asking how I was doing. Since I was just coming out of anesthesia I vaguely remember telling her not real good. She kept communicating with me but I frankly do not remember any of the particulars. I just remember her talking to me. In the recovery room my vitals started to deteriorate with my pulse increasing and my Blood Pressure sinking. I can remember the staff notifying the doctors (surgeon & anesthesiologist) of the status of my blood pressure. I remember hearing 70 over something then 60 over something then 50 over. Having worked as an EMT years back I knew that was very low and I said a quick prayer to God to keep me safe. The last thing I remember is the staff preparing me to go back into the OR. All during this time, I remember Melissa communicating with me although I do not remember her exact questions and comments. As it turned out the surgeons had to go in and find the site of the internal bleeding that had occurred after my initial routine gallbladder surgery and found a vein that was bleeding and sutured it up.

It was not until I was in the ICU that I found out that my Mercy Angel was the one who, through her tenure and experience, knew something was not right after the initial procedure and kept communicating with me as to my condition. She made the decision to call the surgeons back, ordered blood for a transfusion, and get the OR ready for a second surgery. I am sure there are many Mercy Angels out there in the medical field but I felt that Nurse Melissa Wilson was mine by prompting all to revisit my condition as quickly as they did in my situation. She was able to get all medical staff back before my BP dropped to 50.

After a few days in ICU Melissa stopped by and we visited for a short time. I told her what I remembered happened and she then proceeded to fill in the blanks and then tell me what transpired. I was so grateful for what she had done and then realized I could have not made it if it was not for her initiative and quick response to the conditions she was observing as I was deteriorating in the recovery room. I truly believe that Nurse Melissa Wilson was my Mercy Angel and I owe her and all the medical staff at Mercy Regional Medical Center for keeping me and other patients alive safe and healthy.