ICU Team
January 2020
ICU Team
At Swedish Edmonds
ICU
Swedish Edmonds
Edmonds
,
WA
United States
Erica Ciak, Robin Hayward, Casey Berry, Emily Schvlarick, Victoria Plores, Patty Palmer, Giselle Deibler, Erica McCartney, Jenny Day, Rosalinda Gonzales, Amy Becroft, Corenne White
My journey began after a diagnosis of Multiple Myeloma in February of 2016 and after 16 months of induction chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant in August of 2017, I was on the road to recovery, however, a particularly bad flu season in 2018 proved to be more than my new immune system could handle and I ended up spending a couple of weeks in the Swedish Hospital ICU. It was a very difficult time for our entire family. Having said that, the care I received during that time by the nurses and doctors was more than words can say. They provided highly specialized, quality medical care as well as met the emotional and spiritual needs during my illness and recovery not only for myself but for my family as well. I can't say enough about their dedication to the work they do and their kindness and their compassion. Even though this period of time was almost two years ago, hardly a day goes by that that I don't think about that experience and how grateful I am for the nurses, doctors and so many other professional and support staff in the ICU. They are genuinely dedicated to patient care, and they were truly lifesaving caretakers for me!
***
It has been nearly two years since my mom was admitted to the ICU. The trauma of the nearly month-long stay has started to fade, yet one thing will never fade, the memories of the compassionate care that she received from the entire ICU staff. While we may not remember the names of all of her caregivers, we will never forget how they made us feel. There is not a day that goes by that I don't think of that time and the Extraordinary Nurses who cared for my mom.
Mom had recently undergone a stem cell transplant and was immunocompromised. She ended up with pneumonia, ARDS, C-Diff, lung infections, and a host of other complications that resulted in her intubation for several weeks. The many nurses, techs, doctors, and RTs were extremely kind and caring during this dark time.
In addition to the strong clinical skills of the staff, we witnessed many touching moments during our stay. Several of the nurses would talk softly to her and explain every process and medication, even though she was sedated. They would introduce themselves and give her words of encouragement. Some nurses would massage her head and hands, even putting lotion on her hands and feet. I remember hearing nurses tell her that she was so strong and so loved and she would fight this battle. Susan and Staci stand out as nurses who took the extra time to talk to my mom and our entire family as if they were a part of our family. They went the extra step to make sure Mom was pampered as much as possible. If was always a special day when we knew one of them was caring for Mom.
I vividly remember the moment Mom had to be intubated. Nurse Mike was there with her and held her hand the entire time. I was devasted and he was very kind while he explained everything to me. He was her nurse several times and he always showed that same compassion, positivity, and comfort.
We have a very large family, including Mom's four brothers and sisters and all of their spouses and children. Someone was with Mom around the clock. We were in the waiting room at all hours and were constantly calling for updates. Every nurse took the time to patiently update us, no matter how many times we called or asked. I called to check in personally every night at shift change and spoke to the same nurses over and over. They always took the time to comfort me and give me updates on progress or setbacks. I spoke with Mary many times and always felt that she genuinely wanted us to feel supported and cared for. She told me I could call any time during the night and she would answer. I took her up on this several times and she was true to her word.
Not only were we always there, but Mom was also in isolation, so every visitor required specific precautions. No one ever seemed bothered by this extra burden, in fact, they were happy we were there and encouraged the visiting. Through the many tests, procedures, medication changes, and even a code, they never once wavered in their compassion for our family.
I was with my mom nearly 24/7 and it was her nurses who encouraged me to go home and rest. They reassured me that they would be with her and would call with any changes. If it wasn't for them, I would have never left. They helped me realize that I couldn't hold the weight of this event on my shoulders if I didn't take care of myself.
We almost lost my mom, but thankfully she is a fighter and she had the support of your wonderful ICU Team to get her through this battle. Without their support, advocacy, and care I don't believe the outcome would have been the same. We would like to extend our deepest gratitude to this group of wonderful caregivers. Thank you for helping us through this dark time with your lightness.
***
It has been nearly two years since my mom was admitted to the ICU. The trauma of the nearly month-long stay has started to fade, yet one thing will never fade, the memories of the compassionate care that she received from the entire ICU staff. While we may not remember the names of all of her caregivers, we will never forget how they made us feel. There is not a day that goes by that I don't think of that time and the Extraordinary Nurses who cared for my mom.
Mom had recently undergone a stem cell transplant and was immunocompromised. She ended up with pneumonia, ARDS, C-Diff, lung infections, and a host of other complications that resulted in her intubation for several weeks. The many nurses, techs, doctors, and RTs were extremely kind and caring during this dark time.
In addition to the strong clinical skills of the staff, we witnessed many touching moments during our stay. Several of the nurses would talk softly to her and explain every process and medication, even though she was sedated. They would introduce themselves and give her words of encouragement. Some nurses would massage her head and hands, even putting lotion on her hands and feet. I remember hearing nurses tell her that she was so strong and so loved and she would fight this battle. Susan and Staci stand out as nurses who took the extra time to talk to my mom and our entire family as if they were a part of our family. They went the extra step to make sure Mom was pampered as much as possible. If was always a special day when we knew one of them was caring for Mom.
I vividly remember the moment Mom had to be intubated. Nurse Mike was there with her and held her hand the entire time. I was devasted and he was very kind while he explained everything to me. He was her nurse several times and he always showed that same compassion, positivity, and comfort.
We have a very large family, including Mom's four brothers and sisters and all of their spouses and children. Someone was with Mom around the clock. We were in the waiting room at all hours and were constantly calling for updates. Every nurse took the time to patiently update us, no matter how many times we called or asked. I called to check in personally every night at shift change and spoke to the same nurses over and over. They always took the time to comfort me and give me updates on progress or setbacks. I spoke with Mary many times and always felt that she genuinely wanted us to feel supported and cared for. She told me I could call any time during the night and she would answer. I took her up on this several times and she was true to her word.
Not only were we always there, but Mom was also in isolation, so every visitor required specific precautions. No one ever seemed bothered by this extra burden, in fact, they were happy we were there and encouraged the visiting. Through the many tests, procedures, medication changes, and even a code, they never once wavered in their compassion for our family.
I was with my mom nearly 24/7 and it was her nurses who encouraged me to go home and rest. They reassured me that they would be with her and would call with any changes. If it wasn't for them, I would have never left. They helped me realize that I couldn't hold the weight of this event on my shoulders if I didn't take care of myself.
We almost lost my mom, but thankfully she is a fighter and she had the support of your wonderful ICU Team to get her through this battle. Without their support, advocacy, and care I don't believe the outcome would have been the same. We would like to extend our deepest gratitude to this group of wonderful caregivers. Thank you for helping us through this dark time with your lightness.