I am a 10-year patient of cardiomyopathy and was admitted on the first of December 2021, after ending up in the ER with pneumonia and congestive heart failure. I was sent to the 6th floor for care and to have a catheterization to determine if I was suitable for a prolapse valve clip to help my severely regurgitating valve. I was very sick; put on many IVs, and growing weaker by each day. While I was there, I had 4 procedures. I was scared and felt like there was never going to be light at the end of my tunnel. However, there was a bright light that continued to shine on me, and her name is Karen Leshe.

I am not sure I would have done as well without her being my daytime nurse. Even my nurse practitioner said she was the best and I was in very good hands. Her healing touch made a real difference in my care and ultimately allowed me to go home for Christmas. Here are just some of the highlights of how her nursing care made a difference: Each night at the end of her shift, she'd introduce the evening nursing and care staff who would take over; I was confined to a bedpan, and I just couldn't deal with it anymore so one morning she came into my room, and knew I was overwhelmed, upset and just got me up and took me into the bathroom. She said the only way I could use the toilet was if she stood in front of me.

She was instrumental in all progress, including my first steps out of my room on my first walk, and helped me with my first shower and hair wash. She was careful to bring in a chair, draped lots of towels over it, and even laid one down on the floor. She thought of it all and made it as pleasant as it could be given the situation. She had Lee, the office manager, come in to help me dry off and braid my hair. For a moment, I could have been at a spa, not on the cardiac floor. She was constantly checking on me, or someone was coming in to make sure I was ok.

I felt like I had a team attending to me. They all spoke so highly of Karen and knew her well. Each one made a real mark and a difference in my care, like Karen. I had an early am A-Fib attack where she ran in with the other staff, threw off my covers, and asked me to use the bedpan; I knew something was wrong, but I trusted her and was half asleep, but knew I had to do what was asked and quickly. She told me I was in trouble and had to get out of the A-Fib. One morning, she made me a special laxative cocktail with coffee, butter, and I'm not sure what else she had in there, but she guaranteed it would work, and it did.

When I had to make the decision to have the surgery, she was with me, and her encouragement and skillful counsel helped me decide to get it done. I was on many drips and nauseating meds and had to have a PICC line, etc. She'd walk me through all shots; told me each med I was taking, etc.- always communicating with me. She knew before I came into the hospital, I rode my Norwegian Fjord horse each day and that my goal was to get out and be able to go and smell the hay at my stable. So, each time I'd see her, she'd say how well I was doing and that I'd soon "smell the hay."

I really don't think it was just my special treatment, as I could hear her next door coaching and encouraging another patient, or as I began venturing out of my room I would see how she was with other patients. She was so amazing. I was just so lucky to have her as my nurse. She's someone you would want as a friend. A special treasure. A true role model for the profession of nursing.

For most of my life, prior to retiring, I worked with high-performance, organizations. There is one common element that I have found to be operative. The element most often present is dedicated employees, those sharing the values and mission of the organization. Karen Leshe is certainly the personification of that element I've seen. I sincerely appreciated her clinical expertise, compassion and extraordinary nursing care.