My husband had a bowel obstruction from a 10-hour abdominal surgery after an esophageal cancer diagnosis 14 years ago. Obstruction caused by adhesions and probably dehydration from the month-long heat wave. He is also a diabetic and on an insulin pump, which normally works grea,t but after 5 days in the hospital with an NG tube followed by liquid diets, clear then full, then finally a regular breakfast, on the day he was to be released the algorithm in his pump was having a difficult time figuring out how to regulate his blood glucose.

I have been in diabetes research for 47 years and have helped manage his diabetes for 30 years, but this event was causing problems, and the doctor on staff was not going to let us leave because his blood sugar was running high. Ashley came in on Tuesday morning and was on it immediately, knowing how important it was for us to get back home with our dogs. She put me in touch with the diabetes educator, who assured me all would be fine with my help managing the pump algorithm and eventually catching up on his changing diet, back to normal food.

Ashley was upbeat and attentive from 7 am to around 5 pm, when we were finally allowed to leave. She worked hard to make sure we could go home when we had planned, and I was so very grateful. Her help with the diabetic educator and the hospitalist was above and beyond her duty!