My 12 year old daughter had never been sick before. I cannot put into words how scary it was when she ended up at ACH (3 hour drive from home) for two and half weeks. As a parent, I was terrified, especially when it took them 9 days to find out what was wrong with her. Then she had major surgery on her intestines and the recovery was difficult. Mary was her nurse quite often during this time. She showed extraordinary nursing skills and confidence, but also gave my daughter and me incredible compassion and care. She always took the time to explain the complicated or unknown and make it more simple for us to understand. The few times she was on duty and was not assigned to us, she stopped in multiple times to check on us. My daughter's face would light up when Mary walked in the room. She always had an upbeat and positive attitude that flowed in to us and helped lift our spirits and thoughts. It's also extremely important for your nurse to show confidence in how they are caring for the patient. Mary has that in spades. That was one of the most calming aspects that I needed from my daughter's nurse. Her confidence in her own skills and care gave me confidence in my daughter's outcome. Mary is a true gem and a credit not only for ACH but to nursing as a whole.