Over the past three years, I have had two major surgeries. Consequently, I have met many wonderful nurses both in the hospital and through Baycare's home care program. To me, these nurses are unsung heroes. They work every day under difficult circumstances to bring first-class health care to their patients in a caring and compassionate manner. While all of them have been good, one has been particularly impressive. That nurse is Arianne Byers.
Arianne has seen me three or more times each week for more than two months. She accommodated me in setting times for her visits and has been totally reliable. She was always here when she said she would be and went out of her way to help.
For example, Arianne volunteered to make an unscheduled evening visit to my home to put in a wound vac which was very late in arriving via UPS. It was she who suggested using a wound vac to help heal an abdominal wound which was not getting better with daily dressings. While I was not initially enthusiastic about moving to a wound vac, she convinced me that it was a good option despite the inconvenience of being tethered to the machine. I'm glad I listened, for my wound is now half the size that it was, in the beginning, thanks to Arianne. I'm sure it is not unusual to describe home care nurses as competent and reliable. Arianne is both, but she has qualities that set her apart.
For one, she is a person one instinctively trusts. You trust Arianne to tell you the truth, and you just know that a confidence would always be safe with her; I have also appreciated her humor. She has an infectious laugh which makes it impossible not to laugh with her. I always feel better after she visits. She has a sunny disposition and a way of making you feel that you have known her forever. I think of her as a friend as well as a competent professional. Like a good friend, she listens.
Arianne always seeks to improve her skills. As one indication of how seriously she takes her profession, she is currently enrolled in a program that leads to a Master of Science in Nursing. With that credential, she can work as a Nurse Practitioner. She is to be commended for a commitment to continued learning and professional development. She told me that her five-year-old son was asked by his teacher what he wanted to be when he grew up. He said he wanted to be a parent-not a fireman or an astronaut, but a parent. In my mind, this speaks volumes about who Arianne is. She clearly is a role model for her children, and her little boy wants to be like her when he grows up. I wonder how many parents engender that kind of admiration and respect. I understand what he sees.