“On Friday afternoon, Feb. 18, I received a call from one of my neighbors asking me if I was aware that his wife had died on Thursday. I had been up to the ICU to visit with him on Wednesday afternoon. He told me that he wanted to recognize a nurse, Shelly in the ICU for her compassion at the time of his wife’s death. He said that Shelly had been her nurse when she was admitted to the ICU. She talked to Sid about Debbie’s serious condition and what we were trying to do for her and the meaning of a Code ICE. On Thursday morning, Sid said that he got to the ICU early, about 7:45 and was waiting in the waiting room when he heard the Code Blue called for his wife’s room. He was there all alone and then Shelly and a student came out of the ICU, held his hand and said that she knew that he would be here waiting and she wanted to be with him. She explained what things were being done during the code and she stayed with him until the Code was finished. Shelly was not his wife’s nurse that day. When Sid called me, he asked that I talk with her manager and to express his gratitude for Shelly’s care and compassion and to somehow acknowledge Shelly for her care. I told him that I would talk with her manager and express his gratitude to Shelly for her care.

“On Saturday afternoon I was working outside when Sid stopped by my house and again told me how grateful he was for the care and compassion of Shelly. I told him that I would nominate Shelly for the Daisy Award, an award given to a nurse who displayed compassion in their work. Sid said that he had seen information on that award at KU, because his wife had been to KU as a referral from Centerpoint. He said Shelly was one of the best nurses he had witnessed at both Centerpoint and KU and was truly an extraordinary nurse.”