I had big plans for my 49th birthday. None of which included a visit to the ER or the four day stay in the Oncology Ward at Baptist South that followed. I was admitted on my birthday; not only was I scared, nervous, anxious but also upset and a bit depressed. Considering that I was admitted for vomiting blood, I shouldn't have been upset about not going to Florida or getting to go zip-lining. But I was. As I said, I had big plans...for months!
Enter my nurse, Henrietta Crandle. She lifted my soul in so many ways; I could never explain them all. She made me laugh. She calmed my fears. She answered all my questions, even if they were silly. We bonded over some of the items on my bucket list, things that she already experienced. She also made my family feel secure. My mother was impressed. My mother noticed that Henrietta was not only caring for me but about me. I can assure you that impressing my mother is not something easily accomplished.
Henrietta is a float nurse. On the last day of my stay, she was assigned to another floor. She made the extra effort to come to check on me that day. This confirmed that my nurse wasn't just taking care of a patient, but also caring about me as a person.
Henrietta made a terrible, horrible, awful experience much better. I cannot thank her enough.