Friday, December 11, 2009
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Angels Disguised as Healthcare Workers |
Story by Laura Widmer, publisher at the Chariton Valley News Press.
It’s Thanksgiving week and as you know, I have a lot to be thankful for. I survived H1N1, and although I am still battling pneumonia, I am confident I will have healthy lungs by Christmas. You know the song, ‘All I Want for Christmas is Two Healthy Lungs.’
As always, I am so thankful for my family, my friends and my hometown. However, this column I have to give a shout out to the folks who helped me most in my 16 days in the hospital – the nurses and therapists.
When you’re in the hospital you tend to really appreciate good nurses. My sister, Jean, is a nurse and she has all the qualities of an exceptional RN – compassionate, highly qualified and trained, watchful of the patient’s condition, good critical thinking skills, cool under pressure, cheerful and an advocate for the patient. A nurse having these qualities is like an angel, and I found quite a few angels in my hospital stay.
When I walked into North Kansas City Hospital I was immediately given a mask and a seat right next to the check-in desk. I must have looked bad because I didn’t have to wait long.
My first set of angel wings goes to Wade my emergency room nurse. He set the standard of what I would expect for the next 16 days. Wade was quick to assess how sick I was and immediately started making me as comfortable as possible. He took my vitals and once Dr. Buchinger ordered blood work, IV drugs, chest x-ray, oxygen, Wade was quick to get tests ordered, results back and treatment started. He didn’t want me to panic on why he was wearing a mask around me, and so he joked about it. He could read my mind and get me what I needed before I could ask for it. I was with Wade for six hours in ER, but he set the standard of what I should expect.
Originally, I was to be moved to an observation room, but when my test results and x-ray returned, I was moved to isolation on the 10th floor of the Pavilion. The nurses and nurse techs were wonderful, but my next set of wings goes out to a nurse who listened with her eyes and not her ears, Kirsten.
Thursday was a tough day for me. Now, you have to imagine that everyone who entered my room had to be in yellow protective gear, mask and plastic protective shield over the face. It was hard to see facial expressions through the plastic. You couldn’t see a smile because of the mask. It was definitely sterile. However, Kirsten was different. She was not afraid to put a gloved hand on your shoulder. She didn’t hesitate to get close and read my eyes and listen to what I wasn’t saying. I knew something was wrong, but I just didn’t know what it was and how to describe it.
Even through the protective gear, I could tell that she was worried with my vitals and she could tell something was wrong with me. She wasn’t afraid to question me. “What’s the matter?” “You’re not telling me something?” “Are you sure?” She would stand back and watch me as I lay in the bed. She knew I was in trouble.
Kirsten may have saved my life. When my oxygen levels wouldn’t measure over 90, the Rapid Response Team worked on me and took me straight to cardiac ICU. I was resistant and a bit overwhelmed by the urgency of it all, but she knew what needed to be done. I want to thank her, although that really seems inadequate, but it does come from the heart.
I went from my corner room with two windows overlooking the fabulous fall colors of the trees at the Cerner campus to cardiac ICU where the only window was for people to look in at me. I moved to ICU so I could have advantage of one nurse dedicated to me.
I was pretty out of it the Friday and Saturday in ICU. Kristen was one nurse who I had in ICU and then again when I was in the rehab unit. I don’t remember any other nurses from those two pivotal days, but I am certain they made a difference in my recovery. Playing a critical role in a patients’ recovery has to be immensely satisfying.
After four days in ICU, I moved to another isolation room for two days and then to the rehab unit. One nurse stood out because of how much she knew about me and what was in my chart. Ronda receives my next set of angel wings because she studied what I had been through prior to my move to rehab. She made it personal. I wasn’t a stroke or joint replacement patient; I was an H1N1 victim who was struggling with stamina because of double pneumonia. She was my sounding board when I was confused with some decisions the doctors made. She took the time to hear me out and take my questions forward. She was my advocate.
Rehab is the spot where therapists come in and whip you back into shape. I would have occupational and physical therapy twice a day while in rehab. So, in all honesty you spend more time with therapists than you do with anyone other healthcare worker. Thank goodness, I got three incredible people to work with-Hayley, Molly and Christy-my therapy angels.
My two physical therapists, Hayley and Christy, understood the fine line between pushing, encouraging and challenging me. When you take those laps around the hall, you have time to chat and it was great to get to know them a little bit.
Christy sounded and had the attitude of a former student of mine, Lisa Renze Rhodes. It was eerie how much their voice and personality matched. So, I felt like I knew her. We talked about my life and her life as we did laps, stairs and exercises. She pushed me and I appreciated that.
Hayley is just someone you want to have as your best friend. What a great personality. She helped me keep a positive and “can-do” attitude when she worked with me. She knew me and knew how to motivate me with that upbeat personality. On the Tuesday before I left, Hayley was with me when I had my respiratory check for dismissal and I failed it miserably. It read that my oxygen level was 78. My optimistic attitude had been crushed. She understood my disappointment and helped me over that bump in the road. Her compassion meant the world to me.
Molly was my occupational therapist. She was pretty serious initially, and then she transformed to understand my easy-going personality and we had a great relationship. She taught me to love peanut butter on a graham cracker. She motivated and enhanced my ability and skills to return home and so those day-to-day activities. She went about her work and challenged me so I could return to a productive life. I told her some of my life stories that made her laugh – those mishaps in my college science classes. Molly is focused and I lover her passion for her job. Initially, I wasn’t real thrilled about occupational therapy, but when Molly was there I looked forward to our time together.
Hayley and Molly were friendly and professional. They provided a level of comfort and encouragement that helped me to quickly recover. They knew my needs, and my need of a margarita, but they didn’t follow through on that one.
They also knew how much I loved my rainbow belt. I actually looked forward to physical and occupational therapy when I had them to work with me.
During my stay at North Kansas City Hospital, I was reminded that nurses have the privilege of witnessing the endurance of life and have the ability of making a difference in someone’s life each and every day. Nurses are there to help others in their time of need.
Therapists help patients recover from illness, disease, injuries, accidents or surgeries to help them regain strength and mobility and to help patients get back to their normal life so they can return home.
Although she is not a nurse and not a therapist, Angie received my last set of angel wings. Angie was my social worker who made sure that insurance and home health care were on board with the doctors’ orders. She is an incredible professional who knows and projects what is best for the patient and their living situation.
In rehab, those nurses and therapists who called me by name, who cared to get to know me and who cared to let me know them, truly helped expedite my healing process. When it is personalized like that it feels like there is a team in your corner working for you to get you back to where I was before I got sick.
The day I was to leave North Kansas City Hospital, I received a hug from Molly, my occupational therapist.
What a difference 16 days can make. I want to give a big thank you to my angels. I don’t know where I’d be without them. May God bless each of you.
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