There are so many good things I can say about this nurse, it’s hard to know where to start. She was my day nurse and from first meeting her I could tell she was no-nonsense and very focused on what needed to be done for me. She was there with me when around noon I knew something was wrong. She watched me so closely and stayed with me the entire time. They decided to put my LVAD in that evening and after hearing the news, I was of course terrified. She calmly and firmly reassured me that the whole team knew exactly what they were doing, that I was in the best hands possible, and she would be there through it all. She made sure of times so that my dad could make the hour drive to be with me and mom during surgery.

I remember being almost on my way out of the hospital room to surgery and feeling scared, helpless, and unsure I could do it. That’s when she looked me in the eyes and said, “you can and will do this and you are in good hands”. Her energy of strength and calming trust got me through. She was with me again after surgery and her diligence to my needs was steadfast. She knew what I needed before I even knew!

She came down to the regular floor to see how I was doing and made sure I was taking care of myself with the little tricks she’d shown me. Her loving and caring energy and strength will be with me forever. There are no words for the amount of gratitude I have for her!