One month ago, I was given the scariest diagnosis I could ever imagine- stage III breast cancer. Once I learned this, my life turned into a whirlwind of tests, appointments and ultimately surgery. I tend to be anxious on a good day, so you can imagine how scared I was when I arrived for surgery on the day I was scheduled to have a mastectomy.
Tiffany was the little nurse that brought me back and admitted me. She was very caring, empathetic and made me feel so comfortable the minute I met her. She is also very professional and did such a great job of explaining to me and my family what would happen throughout the day. I was so nervous but she made me feel so relaxed and because of her positive attitude and skill I knew I would be OK.
When my surgery was over I was sent to the inpatient floor to recover. Tiffany made a point to come over at the end of her shift to check on me. I was quite uncomfortable so she got me a special pillow and a fresh ice bag and then just stayed and talked to me. She went out of her way to do everything she could to accommodate me. I was in the hospital for 2 days and she checked on me everyday even when she was not working in that department. Several weeks after I had my mastectomy, I had to go back for a port. I was disappointed to hear that Tiffany was not at work yet when I arrived as I was hoping she would be able to admit me. I was once again a nervous wreck. After my surgery was over, I was taken directly to a room to wake up and I woke up to her smiling face and soft voice. I was immediately relieved- it was so comforting to see someone I recognized as I was so scared.
She was my little angel as I had so many questions about my port and how it works and feels when they would have to use it. She was so knowledgeable and even went and got a model port to show me what it looks like and described how they use it and what it would feel like when they used it. When I was having pain, she made many phone calls to get me something that worked, she is a true patient advocate. I believe she has a wonderful bedside manner and can make anybody feel comfortable. You can tell that she really loves her job and is dedicated. I know I was not the only patient she had but I really felt like I was- she never made me feel rushed and answered every question I had (which were lots !). Several days after I got home after my port, I was having a rough day- scared and overwhelmed with what I will have to face over the next 6 months. My husband brought me the mail, and in it was a card Tiffany had sent. Again, I think she was my angel because reading her words of encouragement made me feel better and raised my spirits. Because of nurses like her, a very scary part of my life has not been so scary. Thank you Tiffany!