Let me begin by simply saying that nurses are angels! If you ask me how I know this, it's because of the way they made me feel. Many times you can't always put into words those emotions which are felt, due to the fact that emotions can be such superficial or visceral feelings. I want to talk about my angel Sam Longo. Sam had been my nurse for the night shift while I was here at Riverside. I came into the hospital not feeling well and of course a little scared. During the course of my stay, all of the staff on 5 Easts I could see we're working so hard. The floor seemed to be busy with hustle and bustle each day I was here, even into the night shift. When I found out that Sam was going to be my nurse after she introduced herself to me the first night after we met, I instantly felt that without even knowing why that I was in the hands of someone who was meant to be doing what she was apparently called to do.

As I got to know Sam a bit better, her demeanor was always calm and professional. She explained all aspects of my care to me very thoroughly and took an enormous amount of time to answer my never-ending questions. Sam could sense that I was still uneasy about the uncertainty of my situation even after she answered a million questions I asked her. While sensing this, Sam never left my side throughout the night. Of course, I don't mean that she never left my room, rather the lasting impression she left upon me when she left the room continued to stay with me for the entire night. What I did not realize while she was there with me explaining everything, became apparently clear to me when she left my room to see her other patients. That realization was the lasting impression and impact that her kind and soft words had on me. Even though I was blessed enough not to be in terrible health as some unfortunate patients on the floor had and I'm sure Sam never let it show that any of her other patients took any more priority than me. For that feeling alone, I will and will be forever grateful and blessed to have not felt that my needs took any backseat to anyone else. Riverside has always had a great reputation and I have had my care here for many years. It is so refreshing to see so much compassion and kindness out there from nurses who have been through hell and back with the global pandemic. I am sorry that this letter has gone a bit too long in the tooth however in life, there are enough things that are always pointed out that can be improved, but not always are those extraordinary examples of angels like my nurse Sam brought front and center. Sam has a gift and more importantly, she knows how to use that gift. Thank you, Riverside for having such a nurse and as I started out..."Sam was my angel"