In a great internet coincidence, my blog post (“The Day I Almost Died“) has been passed via email to the staff of the Florida Hospital, including several members of the Cath Lab team that saved my life on Sunday, April 27, 2008. Since I didn’t have a chance to thank them personally, I’m hoping that this post will make its way to the Florida Hospital team as well.
First and foremost, please allow me to say THANK YOU to you and the entire Florida Hospital family for your passion, professionalism, and caring.
It is one thing to provide care to a patient, it is another thing altogether to care about a patient.
I can tell you that every single doctor, nurse, technician, housekeeper, and dietary tech who helped me GENUINELY cared for me and my family. They asked questions and connected with me as a person. They used my name again and again. When you are scared and anxious, the connection created with a nurse who uses your name is enormous. I was never “age 34 stent in 13-1”, I was Kevin, a man with a wife and family.
Unfortunately, there was so much going on that I cannot recall everyone’s name that showed me such compassion (Gloria, Jose, Bonni, Marco, Freddie Jo, and many more), but I can picture their faces clearly and I can tell you that I will not forget the way they way they cared for me.
I don’t know if it is en vogue (or even acceptable) to refer to doctors and nurses as “care givers”, but I can tell you with complete certainty that the team at the Florida Hospitals *are* care givers.
I know that the hospital’s motto is, “The Skill to Heal, The Spirit to Care.” And I couldn’t say it any better myself.
I grew up around hospitals, doctors, nurses, and various medical staff, and I can honestly say that the group at Florida Hospital are the most compassionate I’ve ever seen. Each and every one of the people we encountered went above and beyond, and for that I’ll be forever grateful.