I was in the John Muir CV Institute for 12 days following open heart surgery for the repair of an ascending aortic aneurysm. My stay was extended due to a complication that required a second surgery. During my stay, I was in the ICU twice and the PCU (progressive care unit) twice, and overall, was attended to by over 10 nurses and many assistants. While my overall post-surgical care was good, one nurse, Amelia Boyd, absolutely stood out as my best caregiver. Throughout, Amelia was kind, concerned, and caring. She made sure that I was comfortable and although I needed help with just about everything, including bathroom needs, Amelia consistently treated me with dignity. I have no doubt that this helped to speed my recovery. Amelia made sure that I got help from physical therapists when appropriate, that my drugs were maintained in proper dosages and timing, and assisted with meals-- in sum, she was always there for me. She diligently attended to my physical and emotional needs and set appropriate daily goals for my progression to discharge. I gained complete confidence in Amelia and looked forward to the change from night shift to day shift when Amelia arrived. She was always positive and cheerful and as she paid close attention to my emotional needs as well as my physical needs, she made me feel as though I was a special patient. My wife, who visited daily, commented about how competent and professional Amelia was, yet also warm and caring. In sum, I think Amelia was an outstanding nurse and am grateful that I had the good fortune to be her patient.