During a visit with my family physician, I exhibited symptoms consistent with a possible stroke. My physician made me promise that I would go directly to the emergency room located across the street at Mercy Health in Perrysburg, where I have been seen in the ER before, as well as all of my testing.

When I arrived, I told the gal behind the counter why I was there, and she immediately radioed a nurse. Barb appeared within seconds and took me directly into triage, where she began taking my vitals. Dr. D also quickly appeared for an assessment, and then she took me back into the ER. It was packed with other patients, so I was given a bed just outside the nurse's area. Without asking, Barb quickly & thoughtfully brought me a warm blanket because a cold breeze would be coming from the outside door.

I don't recall which came first, but she hooked me up with a line for a blood draw and future use. I always turn my head when being poked with a needle, so I was surprised when she said "all done" because I did NOT feel a thing. She then apologized for the lack of privacy and gently and discreetly pads and EKG leads under my clothing. I told her she was far more concerned about my privacy than I was, and she unnecessarily apologized again for the location of my bed.

While I was there, another patient was loudly abusing an unfortunate nurse who was assigned her care. Her screaming of obscenities at the staff was so bad that I was on the verge of intervening. Barb could see I was agitated, and without allowing this person to affect her pleasant and gentle demeanor, she moved my bed further from her room and closed the glass door to her room. I give much credit to everyone because they remained calm and professional, whereas I was ready to offer her a pillow to the face.

I have stage III Chronic Kidney Disease due to a solitary kidney, so unless absolutely necessary, I will not and have previously denied contrast going into my system. Barb took a urine sample and reassured me that the kidney was functioning fine and that the contrast was necessary. Without hesitation, I believed her, and that alone says a lot about my trust in her. She stayed with me during the CT, which made me feel safe, should anything bad happen. After the CT with contrast, she asked the physician to approve an IV to flush my kidneys.

Thank goodness it was not a stroke, but had it been, I realized that there is no other place I would want to be. I have complete confidence in the care that was so compassionately and diligently given to me.

Throughout my interactions with Barb, who was always within my eyesight, she used terms of endearment when addressing me that made me feel special and cared for. I recently told a friend that she took better care of me than my parents. She was effortlessly genuine & possesses interpersonal qualities that cannot be learned or rehearsed. Clearly, this is not just a job to her; it is her passion, and it is evident by how she tends to her patients. I am grateful that for those few hours she was my person. I was alone in this scary event, and she was my calming and knowledgeable advocate. She is not only an exceptional nurse, but she is an exceptional human. I have seen many medical professionals in my life, and in my humble opinion, there is no award or gift of muffins that can adequately recognize just how wonderful Barb is. I do, however, believe that the highest recognition was given when God gave her her wings.