Lisa McBain
October 2023
Lisa
McBain
,
RN
Medical Surgical Care Center
Maple Grove Hospital
Maple Grove
,
MN
United States
She comforted me and gave me the best hug I’ve ever had from a stranger. Her care and concern were pure.
After transferring my partner from the ER to the Surgical Floor we were exhausted; emotionally, mentally and physically. Lisa saw this in both of us right away. We were scared because this was our third trip to the ER within a week for my partner, who has stage 3 COPD and has had recurring bacterial lung infections in the past. He would simply get seen in the ER and be prescribed medication and sent home.
This visit went differently. Not only was his bacterial (left) lung infection not getting better, but now he’s developed pneumonia in his right lung, oxygen levels were 84 at best, and he had low salt levels in his blood. Lisa was so compassionate and patient with us as we struggled to understand everything that was going on and what it meant in simple terms. Not only did she sit with us to explain what all of this new information meant but she offered suggestions on how to help make me and my partner more comfortable. I felt like she was our mom showing so much care and concern. She knew of different medications that could help improve his health and discussed them with us before requesting the doctor to order them for him. We got to our room at 7:30 pm and she stayed with us for over an hour in the beginning until she knew we were both comfortable, educated, and fed.
Lisa worked with my partner teaching him how to properly use his incentive spirometer to help strengthen his lungs. Explaining the benefits of using this is to be able to get better air into his lungs which would then not require him to be on oxygen. When you are at stage 3 COPD, going on oxygen is scary, to say the least. She, of course, had other patients and couldn’t stay in our room all night, I wish, but she routinely checked in every hour. Once my partner was finally asleep, she’d still sneak in just to check in on me. She comforted me and gave me the best hug I’ve ever had from a stranger. Her care and concern were pure.
Tomorrow is Mother’s Day, and we’re expected to be here for a few days. Lisa went out of her way before reporting to her 12-hour shift to stop and buy treats for her patients and families and unknowingly had my favorite go-to treat when I’m stressed (tootsie rolls). My mom gave them to me sparingly as a treat when I was a child if I had a tough day. She had no idea what that little treat did for my heart and soul. As she was leaving this morning she checked in on us one last time, and I just had to have one more hug.
This visit went differently. Not only was his bacterial (left) lung infection not getting better, but now he’s developed pneumonia in his right lung, oxygen levels were 84 at best, and he had low salt levels in his blood. Lisa was so compassionate and patient with us as we struggled to understand everything that was going on and what it meant in simple terms. Not only did she sit with us to explain what all of this new information meant but she offered suggestions on how to help make me and my partner more comfortable. I felt like she was our mom showing so much care and concern. She knew of different medications that could help improve his health and discussed them with us before requesting the doctor to order them for him. We got to our room at 7:30 pm and she stayed with us for over an hour in the beginning until she knew we were both comfortable, educated, and fed.
Lisa worked with my partner teaching him how to properly use his incentive spirometer to help strengthen his lungs. Explaining the benefits of using this is to be able to get better air into his lungs which would then not require him to be on oxygen. When you are at stage 3 COPD, going on oxygen is scary, to say the least. She, of course, had other patients and couldn’t stay in our room all night, I wish, but she routinely checked in every hour. Once my partner was finally asleep, she’d still sneak in just to check in on me. She comforted me and gave me the best hug I’ve ever had from a stranger. Her care and concern were pure.
Tomorrow is Mother’s Day, and we’re expected to be here for a few days. Lisa went out of her way before reporting to her 12-hour shift to stop and buy treats for her patients and families and unknowingly had my favorite go-to treat when I’m stressed (tootsie rolls). My mom gave them to me sparingly as a treat when I was a child if I had a tough day. She had no idea what that little treat did for my heart and soul. As she was leaving this morning she checked in on us one last time, and I just had to have one more hug.