My wife went to Riverside for surgery. We had hoped for an easy surgery, but it turned out to be more involved. While we were overwhelmed by the amount of things that were done, we were grateful as this now made my wife cancer-free for the first time in many years. It also meant that we would have a multiple-day stay in the hospital.

Before I proceed, let me give you a bit of back story. Earlier in the year, my mother passed away. We had home hospice for a few months prior to that time. In the days preceding her death, she saw and spoke to family members who had been dead for decades. It was a traumatic experience for us to witness this decline.

So when my wife told me that her late relative had just been at our house, knowing that he had died 20 years earlier, it started alarm bells to go off in my head. But she was showing no signs of an infection. No fever or other symptoms to cause concern. So, I let it go. Until... Later that day, after giving her fluids, I noticed she had started running a fever and was growing disoriented. So, I called the squad to transport her to Riverside. By the time they received her in the ER, her vital signs were very bad.

The RN that looked after my wife, initially in the ER, was Morgan. She reacted quickly to the seriousness of the situation and began working to see that my wife received the best care possible. She worked long past the hour in which I knew her shift had ended. But, I could see that it was to give her added assistance to the other nurses, lab techs, and doctors who were called in to run tests, analyze the situation, and install lines. She was obviously well aware of her department, knowing where to find the medical supplies that were needed and then running to get them.

Needless to say, in the hours that we spent in the ER, I imagined the worst. I was staggered by the thought that I would lose my mother and my wife in the same year. Though I attempted to remain calm throughout that time, I know my face probably told another story entirely. Morgan could see that I was impacted by the severity of the situation and took time to check on me. She did more than offer me water and a place to sit. She offered me reassurance that my wife was in good hands and that they were going to do their very best for her. She made me feel like my wife was her only patient and had her entire attention. Knowing that the ER waiting room was filled to the point of overflow and that the ER staff must be overwhelmed made me, as a loved one, feel that Morgan cared and was there for us. In a time of need and desperation, that is all anyone could hope for.

Here is where I believe that Morgan began to take that extra step above and beyond what is expected of her. The following evening, while in the hospital, Morgan and her colleague came to see my wife. She said they just wanted to check up on her and make sure she was all right and being treated well. They both hugged me and said how happy they were to see us looking better. At this point my wife was still too out of it to appreciate the gesture, but I was so touched by their kindness and thoughtfulness. Morgan asked if I would mind if she stopped back up again the following day to see my wife when she might be awake. Of course, I said that would be fine.

Morgan did return the following day with another ER nurse and spent a few minutes speaking with us. It was so sweet of her to think of us. But, that was not all. Morgan returned a final time with another colleague, one week after being seen in the ER. It was in a different unit on the final day before my wife was to be discharged. They said they wanted to wish us well.

Riverside Hospital is one of many hospitals in Columbus, but it is the one we prefer. We cannot say enough about the quality of care we receive there. The staff, from the janitors who clean the rooms, the volunteers who give directions, kitchen delivery personnel, cafeteria workers, lab techs, PSA, RNs, doctors, social workers, tech specialists, transport staff, and chaplains. OhioHealth does a wonderful job and is wonderfully represented in all aspects of the services they offer. But, never in all of the years and visits to your hospital have we ever experienced someone who showed as much true concern, care, and compassion for a patient as Morgan did by coming by not once but three times to check on us. And I do say us because it wasn't just my wife that she gave solace to. Morgan proved that the best medicine is not always one that is dispensed in a tiny cup.