I want to take this time to share my story of the excellent health care provided by the emergency room staff at Broward Health Imperial Point. I experienced a horrible time in my life - a near death experience-in May of last year. I got up the morning feeling very sick and I knew I needed to get the emergency room. Not knowing how sick I was, I decided to have my wife take me to the hospital instead of calling 911. I never made it to the hospital as my condition worsened along the way. My wife had no choice but to stop at a local fire station where I received emergency care and I was transported to the ER at Imperial Point.

My condition was critical, I had to be placed immediately on a breathing machine; my wife said the staff along with the physician worked hard doing all they could to save my life. I was admitted to ICU for several days, and as my condition improved, I was able to be discharged home; I was told on my follow up appointment that I needed cardiac cath. I thought the worse was behind me but after the procedure it was determined that I had blockages and had to have open heart surgery. My recovery was long and slow. Before the ordeal, I lead a very active life as a contractor and had my daily routine exercises. There were many days that I was worried that I could not go back to doing pushups and getting up straight from a seated position (Indian style),something I had always been able to do all my life.

This is the story of Mr. K who showed up to the ED 2 weeks ago asking to meet all the people who saved his live. Melissa Ames his primary nurse happened to be on shift. She took care of this patient in May 2013 when she worked the night shift. Melissa walked out to Mr. K and the tears flowed as he expressed how grateful he was for having the team of nurses and doctors save his life. It was a coincidence that Melissa was at work that day to meet the patient that she now could not recognize. Melissa and the team of nurses who came out to meet the patient in the waiting room were all in tears as this was such a special moment to have a patient returning to express thanks as he said he sobbed hard he said "I wanted to meet the angel who God sent to save my life". Mr. K now looking as the picture of health, dressed in Hawaiian shirt and khaki pants, demonstrated for the nurses showing off his flexibility as he sat on the floor with his legs crossed and stood up without any support, which was truly impressive to watch.