Samuel D Nunn
August 2023
Samuel D
Nunn
,
BSN, RN
Med/Surg
Baptist Health Deaconess Madisonville
Madisonville
,
KY
United States
At that moment, I trusted a man I had only met hours before and believed what he was saying. I knew he meant every word.
In June, my daughter was brought to Baptist Health Deaconess in the wee hours of the morning for appendicitis. After meeting with her surgeon, it was determined her appendix would need to be removed. Now this might seem like a routine outpatient surgery to most, but to this mother it was monumental. You see, my father passed away at the age of 59 from a blood clot after a routine appendectomy was performed. To say that my anxiety level was skyrocketing would have been a major understatement. I voiced concerns to the surgeon and to her nurse, Sam. The surgeon blew this off as just a worried momma. Sam listened, really listened, and reassured me they would take the best care of her.
When the surgery was over, the surgeon met with her father and me. The appendix was indeed inflamed and enlarged and should have been removed. He then said the word BUT....that word is one you don't want to hear after any procedure. Her colon had been perforated by one of the instruments on the top and bottom. Holy Geez!!! Now my second nightmare had come true… my mother had had a perforated colon some 20 years ago and had been placed on a ventilator and remained in ICU for 2 weeks, only to be released with a colostomy bag. I did not want this for my 28 year old daughter. To say that I was very upset would be an understatement. After the doctor left, Sam came in and said, "It's going to be ok. I am going to take care of her, and she is going to do fine". At that moment, I trusted a man I had only met hours before and believed what he was saying. I knew he meant every word.
From the moment she was brought back up to the room until he clocked out that evening, Sam was in charge and took the utmost care of my child. Before he left, I met him in the hallway. I told him how much his compassion meant to me as a mother and to my daughter, who was looking her first hospitalization in the eye with a pretty serious surgery. My daughter was calm, relaxed, and felt a sense of security with a man she really didn't even know.
As strange as it may sound, I know that God placed that man with that personality in that room for a special reason that day. His compassion and care pulled us through the scariest day we had experienced. I wish all healthcare professionals could take a lesson from Sam. The world would be a lot brighter.
When the surgery was over, the surgeon met with her father and me. The appendix was indeed inflamed and enlarged and should have been removed. He then said the word BUT....that word is one you don't want to hear after any procedure. Her colon had been perforated by one of the instruments on the top and bottom. Holy Geez!!! Now my second nightmare had come true… my mother had had a perforated colon some 20 years ago and had been placed on a ventilator and remained in ICU for 2 weeks, only to be released with a colostomy bag. I did not want this for my 28 year old daughter. To say that I was very upset would be an understatement. After the doctor left, Sam came in and said, "It's going to be ok. I am going to take care of her, and she is going to do fine". At that moment, I trusted a man I had only met hours before and believed what he was saying. I knew he meant every word.
From the moment she was brought back up to the room until he clocked out that evening, Sam was in charge and took the utmost care of my child. Before he left, I met him in the hallway. I told him how much his compassion meant to me as a mother and to my daughter, who was looking her first hospitalization in the eye with a pretty serious surgery. My daughter was calm, relaxed, and felt a sense of security with a man she really didn't even know.
As strange as it may sound, I know that God placed that man with that personality in that room for a special reason that day. His compassion and care pulled us through the scariest day we had experienced. I wish all healthcare professionals could take a lesson from Sam. The world would be a lot brighter.