Tim was our son's nurse for our very first visit to the pediatric ICU (PICU). It was an exhausting day of fear and worry over our son who had woken up that morning healthy and lively and by noon was in a fight for his life. Our son was only 14 months old and was struggling to breathe, we had been to a previous hospital that insisted we go to Primary's for the level of care we would need. Once there we waited in the ER to see what treatment the doctors there would want for our son, they monitored him on different treatments for hours before we were taken to the PICU. We were all exhausted and terrified by the time we got to the PICU.

Tim went out of his way to ensure our son's comfort. As soon as he came in, he spoke to our son in such a soothing and understandable way and explained to both my husband and me and our son what he was doing and why it was necessary. Tim communicated at a level we could comprehend. Tim stayed diligent all night in helping our son be as comfortable as possible and was a pro at quickly and efficiently meeting our son’s needs. What really stood out was how dedicated Tim was to suctioning our son; every two hours he came in and made sure he got out absolutely everything he could.

I truly believe that without Tim's massive effort in caring for our son, our stay would have been much longer, and our son would not have recovered as well or as quickly. After suctioning, Tim made sure to help our son be comforted and soothed before readjusting monitors and made sure he praised him for doing a good job. Little things like that made all the difference for me as a mother, struggling to see her son suffer, but knowing his caretaker was truly looking out for his best interests and treating him like a person, not just a bed number or a sick kid. Tim helped my husband and I understand what the doctors were looking for and what they meant with specific terms we didn't understand. He also checked in with us to see what he could do for our well-being and offered comfort items.

Tim was so calm and focused as he would transfer my son for me to hold him, Tim explained to me about my son's monitors and his BiPAP, and all the cords and helped me to comfort my son while keeping him safe. His calm focus and education really helped me to feel supported as I comforted my son and understood what different alarms meant and what steps would be needed for each alarm. Tim's exceptional care for our son was undoubtedly a major factor in his quick recovery and we couldn't be more grateful for Tim! Tim's genuine kindness and his talent make Primary Children's Hospital a better place for all children in need and Tim sets a very high standard for others to live up to. Thank you, Tim, we are so very grateful.