Laura D, Pain Clinic

Our Pain Clinic team was doing a diagnostic (short acting) pain block on a patient.  As she recovered she tentatively started moving in ways that normally would incite her pain.  She cried.  She shared with us that she wasn't feeling pain as she moved in those familiar ways.  She shared more... "I'll be able to lift my grandchild without pain one day."  What a gift she gave to us that day.  She showed us what hope looks like.  We joyfully cried as well.

Paulina, Imaging Services

I let a cancer patient who had had numerous scans look at his scan and explained the anatomy to him.  He was so excited to know what he looked like on the inside, that he would not stop thanking me.

Denise, Imaging Services

I received a lady from the radiology admitting area that was quite nervous.  She was at Delnor for an MRI scan but was terrified of being in a closed in space.  She was literally "white knuckling" the side rails on the cart.  She also stated that at another hospital they never sedated her properly and she would wake up in the middle of procedures or be in pain.  I sedated her myself during the procedure, and she slept through the MRI.  She stated, "I would never go anywhere else but Delnor, I had the best experience here, this place is the best!"

Winnifred S, Laboratory

I was working on a Sunday evening a couple of weeks ago in the laboratory.  We received blood from an 18 year old male with a diagnosis of lacerated spleen.  they were going to take him to surgery for repair.  I did the blood work and set up the cross match for 2 units of blood.  When I looked at the blood smear I noticed some abnormalities  I decided to do a monospot test to confirm what I was looking at on the slide before I reported it.  The mono was a strong positive result.  So I called the ER doctor and relayed to him what I had observed and done.  His response was "that makes this case just that more interesting."  The patient was discharged the next day.

Linda Z, Endoscopy

Even though I have probably seen thousands of patients that had colonoscopies, there are several patients that have  touched my heart and I have never forgotten them.  Of these was a particular patient, I'll call Jane (not her real name).  Jane was a warm sensitive 54 year old who was scheduled for a colonoscopy because of excruciating abdominal pain for an entire summer season.  As I was bringing her down from Same Day Surgery into the procedure room she was telling me the story of her life.  She was so bright, sunny and outgoing that we had instant rapport.  I felt as if she were a long lost friend.  she loved her many pets, gardening and decorating, all near and dear to my heart as well.  As she proceeded to tell me the details of why she was here for a colonoscopy, the dark cloud of doom came creeping to my mind's eye.  Knowing the warning signs of colon cancer of which there are very few; she proceeded to tell me all of them as her own symptoms and she had experienced for the entire summer.  I felt as if I were going to cry and could barely concentrate on the task at hand, helping with her colonoscopy.  We got her nicely sedated, darkened the room had soft music playing when the dreaded diagnosis showed up on the screen.  The physician and I looked at each other and both mouthed "Oh my God!"  We could barely say another word.  Jane didn't even live through the holidays.  Her numerous friends rallied around her through her few short months of chemotherapy, central lines and jaundice.  Friends adopted her dogs, cats and birds, and her property with its beautiful gardens was sold, but her spirit for living is carried on by the many who knew and loved her.  I often think of Jane and wonder if she would still be here if she had had her screening colonoscopy.  she found a place in my soul and made a difference in my proactive of nursing from the heart.

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