I had surgery on my right foot and was non-weight bearing and in a cast since then. I had been working a week later, riding around on a scooter and feeling pretty good. On Friday, I had just gotten to work and was feeling short of breath for the 3rd day in a row, only that day it was worse. Prior to that day, I was just thinking it would get better. I'm one of those nurses who won't seek help unless I feel really awful. Knowing I probably had a blood clot, Ronda Cupstid, a sonographer from my department, helped me to the E.D. We got to the nurses' desk in the main E.D. and spoke to Jody. Ronda told her the story, Jody asked if I had called my doctor, but once I started talking to her she knew something was wrong as I couldn't finish a sentence without stopping to catch my breath. Without hesitation, Jody took me to ED 18, started the admitting paperwork, put in an IV, and got an ultrasound of my leg ordered as well as a CTA Chest.
By this time, I had that feeling of "impending doom" that nurses know probably all too well. Jody made me feel safe, she made me feel like I was the only person that mattered and that everything would be all right. Once the CTA confirmed some pretty big blood clots in both pulmonary arteries, I felt overwhelmed, scared and thought about how fast it can progress to something even worse. Jody was right there, she hugged me as she got the heparin going, telling me "nurses know too much, you are going to be OK." By this time JoAnn was there helping too--and was just another great nurse that I owe so much to.
Jody checked on me so many times before I was transferred to ICU. I truly am grateful for her intuitiveness to get me admitted so fast, her skills as a nurse to recognize something was wrong, but more importantly, the kindness and compassion she showed to me when I needed it most. I`m not one to cry very often but that day I did and Jody was the one who made me feel like everything would be ok. I'm recovering now, but I think about that Friday morning and how it may have gone somewhat differently if it had not been for Jody (and I do have to give credit to JoAnn too)!
Thank you, thank you, thank you for being such a great nurse and my guardian angel!