I was admitted for the treatment of A-fib and during this time had other procedures that were not successful and was ultimately discharged with a third to be scheduled within a few weeks.

I went from never taking medicine, being highly active in life, and not having the constant worry of medical issues to having an array of medicines on my countertops, being highly fatigued and limited to what I could to physically and having the constant worry of my heart issues and what lurks beyond the horizon.

I was scheduled for an outpatient procedure, and only upon arrival at the Cath Lab and procedure prep was I notified that a cardiologist wanted to do a different procedure instead. In the few hours before the procedure, my heart and mind were filled with worry. I did my best to stay strong, but hearing all of the procedure risks from the cardiologist filled my mind with worry.

When I came into recovery after the procedure, I was assigned a new nurse, Maddy. In the first hour of recovery, my mind continued to wander that something was wrong. It was then that Maddy started to ensure that I was both physically and emotionally well by offering genuine care and compassionate reassurance. There were several rounds of complications. Maddy was there, and despite the urgency of the situation, her attitude and presence were very calm in the situation, which reassured me that everything was okay. I was admitted for the night.

Fast forward to when I returned to the Cath Lab for another procedure. While Maddy was not my nurse, we crossed paths that day, and I was able to extend my thanks to her with a note. We spoke for a moment, and I was able to extend my appreciation for her support. The very next day, my phone rang, and it was Maddy checking in on me to see how I was feeling, going the extra mile for a patient she had weeks prior but connected to on a much deeper level. That’s the care and compassion that makes the difference. It’s the care and compassion that makes Madison Topper so very special!