I wasn't feeling very well that day, and when lunch came around, my wife felt that I was not appearing to be feeling very well. She requested that I go sit in my office and take a nap. When she returned, 15 minutes later, she noticed that there was a significant change in my posture, and I wasn't fully responding. She stated, "Let's go to the VA Clinic now," and much to her amazement, I got off the couch and drove to the clinic. She dropped me off and stated that she would come back and pick me up afterwards when I was ready.

When I checked in at the clinic within a very short time, I was taken back to the nurse, Jamie Guajardo. He started asking me, and apparently, I was not responding in a way that made a lot of sense. He conducted vitals and when he got to the temperature, it was registering 103°f. He immediately stated that I needed to get to the Emergency Room (ER) now. He asked if my spouse was outside or if somebody could take me, and I responded no. At this point my vitals were changing very radically, and I was increasingly less responsive.

From this time on, memory does not serve me well as I was unresponsive and going unconscious. Jaime retrieved my phone and called my wife. I will tell you that he used his skills to open my phone and contact my wife. Very good work on his part. When my wife answered the phone, she stated, "Ready for pick up?" and Jaime updated her on my situation, and taking me by ambulance to Harlingen Medical Center (HMC) and to meet me there. Due to his quick thinking and actions, he saved valuable time by not having my wife pick me up and driving me to the ER. I do not remember any of the timeline after Jaime took my temp to that night in the HMC ER.

I was diagnosed going into septic shock and a bacterial infection was spreading throughout my bloodstream. After five days, the lab isolated the bacteria, and the treatment continued for 18 very long days at HMC.

Seriously, why write Jaime a DAISY Award, because he was doing his job? My wife and I owe Mr. Jaime tremendous gratitude for recognizing a serious sign of distress that was evolving rapidly and for coordinating the location where I was being transported with my wife. After the family was notified of my medical condition, my sister, a doctor, was extremely alarmed by the critical timing and medical actions that were needed at that very time to keep me alive, and that Jaime hit the mark. Should I have stayed home and tried to ride it out by sleeping like my normal course of actions, my organs would continue shutting down. I had already lost visual recognition, hearing, and the ability to think rationally, and this was only the beginning.

After being discharged, Jaime provided me a warm welcome at the VA Clinic and reiterated the need to keep on top of the signs and symptoms and to immediately seek medical attention. Round three of the infection came about two weeks later. As instructed what to look for, the evaluation of the condition changes in my leg, including swelling, open wounds, and redness, mandated me to seek treatment. Again, listening to medical advice saved me from being admitted to the hospital for treatment because of early medication that was provided.

In closing, it may seem that Mr. Jaime was doing his job, but it was how he did his job, and I go on to say that Jaime saved my life; to Jaime Bravo Zulu, and thanks.