I was admitted to the Banner Desert Medical Center for the treatment of a case of cellulitis in my left foot. After the initial intake process in the emergency room, I was assigned to General Surgery B3. I stayed in that unit until my discharge seven days later. In addition to the cellulitis, I have long term conditions which include spinal stenosis, scoliosis, and advanced arthritis in the neck.
Sleeping in a strange bed without the adaptive pillow necessary to support my neck, I awoke after my first night with a migraine headache. The headache continued to increase during the day until such a time as I felt I needed to ask for assistance from my nurse Brittany and her aide. At this time, I was vomiting violently, was sick to my stomach, and was experiencing vertigo. Without a doubt, this was the worse migraine headache I have ever had.
Brittany stepped in and took control of the situation. She initiated contact with the admitting doctor. Acting as a team, they made sure that I received pain medication, medication to address the vertigo and stomach distress, and a CAT scan to ensure that I was not experiencing a more serious problem. In addition, Brittany assisted me in reaching out to my wife to bring both a TENS unit and adaptive pillow to assist in my recovery from this incident. After approximately two hours, the headache lessened, and I was left exhausted both physically and emotionally. Having had nothing to eat all day, Brittany saw to it that I had saltine crackers and juice to assist in the recovery process.
Throughout the rest of their shifts, Brittany and her aide checked on me to ensure that I was still okay. At the end of her shift, Brittany communicated with the oncoming staff to ensure that they understood what had transpired during the day.
I was impressed with Brittany's leadership in this situation and how she combined medical competence with a human touch. She facilitated seamless care during this period which enabled me to overcome the headache.
I found that all of the nurses and nurses' aides in General Surgery B3 were amazing! I could not have asked for better treatment during my stay. However, I will always be indebted to Brittany for getting me through one of the bleakest and scariest times in my life.