I truly believe that Melisa Audia is a very special nurse. I wholeheartedly believe that she probably saved my life because I had an appointment with her in oncology. She felt I needed an EKG and labs before the next series of treatments. I didn’t want to go. I thought I was okay with the little bit of chest pain I had been having. The nitroglycerin seemed to take care of it. I thought it was normal pain. She asked me to please go to the ER for the EKG and labs. I agreed to go.

Melisa called the ER and had it set up for me to go. Long story short, the tests they ran showed I had a heart attack, and the ER doctor felt I had a blockage. They stabilized me and kept me in the hospital overnight. Melisa came to my room the next morning to see me. An ambulance was called to take me to Pittsburgh, VA, for a heart cath. It was found that I had a heart attack and blockage. They put a stent in and did a balloon procedure. I had an open heart five bypass surgery in 2001. I am so pleased with the care that I have had at the VA, and I am still alive and doing fairly well after all these years because of caring by people, doctors, and nurses.

Melisa is a prime example. I want to commend Melisa for her special nursing skills, not only in seeing the need for a heart check but also in handling the situation by remaining pleasant, happy, smiling, and genuinely sweet and caring. I truly appreciate that she helped me to get the help I didn’t know I really needed.