I met Michelle at pulmonary rehab several years ago and felt an instant connection with her due to her caring enthusiastic approach to helping her patients. She has a sharp sense of humor that instantly puts you at ease and makes her approachable. We crossed paths again in the ICU when she was caring for my father prior to his passing away from lung cancer. My parents were equally impressed and appreciative to have someone of her caliber making such a difficult situation better.

Then, in May of last year, I underwent LVRS surgery and was in ICU for several weeks recuperating from pneumonia after the surgery. All that time Michelle was checking on me and encouraging me even when I was not her assigned patient. She made me feel like I could recover when I had given up on myself. She pushed me in the wheelchair to see my friend who was also in the hospital and on other excursions when I didn’t even want to try to sit up, let alone go any distance. It required a lot of assistance but she made the extra effort to pull in the right team members to make it happen.

I will never forget her kindness and her voice encouraging me in my ear… “you can do this”. The patients that get to experience her nursing skills will be equally touched by her genuine compassion and expert abilities. I believe nominating her for the DAISY Award is only a fraction of what I should do to repay her kindness. Thank you, Michelle!