I don't have a lot of experience spending a lot of time in the hospitals with the exception of a couple minor surgeries. I've not had any real health scares. I'd imagine that Brooke, being a young nurse on the neurosurgery floor, has not had a ton of experience working with young patients. This journey has been so scary for me, taking the medical team two weeks to determine a final diagnosis of Nocardia that had spread to my brain. Being a driven, self-sufficient woman, it has been hard for me to allow others to help me and also hard for me to trust that everyone knows my health history and will get me my medications at the right time.
When Brooke has been assigned to me, I am able to feel instantly comforted, knowing I'm in great hands. She proactively anticipates my needs, asking me if I am in need of pain meds for a headache, or spending time getting to know me and chat when she can tell I'm having a tough day. She goes out of her way to come to my room when my antibiotics are finishing up, even before I press the call light. She enters my room so quietly at night in an effort to not wake or disturb me. It is so obvious to see her passion for nursing and I feel so blessed that she was able to take care of me. Truly, my entire experience since being admitted to Sanford has been incredible. I have always felt like I could trust the medical professionals. I know that I'm in great hands…complete with expert care, state of the art facilities, and compassionate nurses. Brooke is one of the absolute best. She deserves to be recognized.