I had emergency surgery at Rush Copley Hospital. I then spent almost the entire rest of the month in the hospital. The care I received from all the medical personnel was exceptionally good. Larry was, by far, the most important person who aided my recovery. When I was at my lowest points mentally, it seemed like it was always Larry who brought me back and lifted my spirits. This was not easy because of my stomach surgery; I went for days, only able to have ice chips. Larry has the uncanny ability to sense when one of his patients is feeling low. He was always easy to talk to, and he always made it a point to check in to see how I was doing. He never did this while at the same time not paying attention to other patients. I also noticed that when I would ask one of the nurses or aides a question, their response was "let me ask Larry." The respect he receives from his co-workers demonstrates how valuable he is not just to my treatment needs but to others as well. Larry played a huge role in my recovery. There is no telling how many extra days I would have spent in the hospital without him. He went out of his way to get me what I needed that was within his power. I think that Larry Zidek was instrumental in saving my life. Not only did he help me, but he also would give updates on how I was doing to my family members. My youngest son referred to him as "Larry Legend." Larry Zidek is an exceptional caregiver, a person who understands that being a good nurse is not just about your knowledge of medicine, but your understanding of the "art" of being a nurse. Rush Copley is very fortunate to have him on the staff. I will end by stating that every morning when I woke up, I would look at the whiteboard to see who my nurse was. If I saw the name "Larry", I knew I was in the best of hands.