I'm 82 and live alone. I lost my balance and fell on my face on a hard floor in my house a few nights ago. I was bleeding profusely and in much pain. I had to be transported by ambulance to the UP Health System - Portage emergency room. Nurse Clara Pietila was the first to greet me and roll me into an exam room. She talked to me with gentle, calming words, trying to reassure me and my daughter, who was even more distraught than I was. She continued to converse with us quietly until she calmed us down before she even started any medical procedures like taking my vitals and hooking me up to an automated blood pressure monitor and ECG. Then, she took the time to explain clearly what would happen next: a CT scan of my head. She met me in the hallway after the scan and accompanied me back to the exam room, informing us of the next steps. She checked in on me periodically during the hour and 20 minutes it took to get the radiologist's report. With her big smile and kind voice, she then told me that I had a fractured nose but no brain bleed. She remembered my earlier request for a cup of ice water, which she had explained that I could not have until the CT scan results came in, and she promptly brought it in without me having to ask for it again.

While I waited to see the doctor, she checked in on me a couple more times and gave me updates on the waiting time. After I talked with the doctor, Nurse Pietila came back in to provide me with extra-strength Tylenol and some to take home. She clearly explained the dosing and time between doses. She also described any symptoms of serious complications to watch for and what to do if they occurred, all in that calming, clear way she spoke to an upset patient. She even looked into taxis that ran at night to take us home since it was 11:30 pm. My daughter doesn't drive, and our small town has no public transportation at night. Her kind, reassuring manner, the way she remembered earlier requests, her frequent check-ins, and her clear explanations made all the difference to me and my daughter. She took the time and made the extra effort to keep her patients calm and informed, even though I know that ER nurses have many urgent demands on their time and attention. She was our angel, and we will bless her forever.