Earlier this year, my Cardiologist recommended that I have an angiogram to evaluate a change identified on a recent test. I arrived at 6:00 AM to register and prepare for the procedure. Upon my arrival on the floor, I met Karin, my nurse, who walked me through what I should expect. She introduced me to the anesthesiologist and her peer. They would be assisting me with pre- and post-procedure. After all the preparations for the procedure were completed, Karin came by to assure me everything would be fine. At the completion of the procedure, I returned to my room to recover. Karin came in and asked how I was feeling. I stated that I noticed my speech was slurred, and I tried to justify that it was just from the anesthesia. I shared that I had procedures before, but never had this type of effect. Karin proceeded to talk with my wife and me as I tried my best not to sound "slurry." She said she would keep checking on me to see if my speech would return to normal. She also shared with my wife that she thought there was some drooping on the left side of my face. My wife said she did not notice that I looked the same. But Karin was not convinced and kept monitoring me. This continued for some time, and my speech was not improving. The doctor who performed the procedure came to speak with me and shared that there was no need for a stent. At the same time, Karin had come in again and was becoming very concerned that my speech had not cleared up after a couple of hours. She felt that with her years of experience, it was unusual to take this long. Still stressing that she is seeing some drooping, although minimal. At the same time, she was very attentive to my wife, asking if there was anything she could do for her, something to drink or eat. Making sure both of us were very comfortable as we worked through this delay of my being discharged.

As she became more concerned, she asked me questions about any numbness, if I could move my legs, and had me do other coordination exercises, which I lovingly called "dog tricks." What I did not realize was that she was trying to determine if I was having a stroke. She then asked if I wanted to go to the bathroom, and I said yes. When I tried to get up, I was very unstable and could barely walk without assistance. After that, Karin went and spoke to her colleagues and my doctor about her concern that I may be having a stroke. To demonstrate her concern, she asked me if I wanted to take a walk. I thought that would be great as it had been a couple of hours of lying in bed. To my surprise, I barely took any steps and was completely unstable, Karin then asked for more assistance to ensure that I dd not fall. At this point, Karin and the rest of the team began the process of engaging with the Stroke Team. The team had me do many of the same coordination exercises that Karin had me perform earlier. The rest of the day was a blur of scans, evaluations, and moving to an observation floor. At the end of her day, Karin came by my room to see how my wife and I were doing and if there was anything that she could do for us. She assured us we were in good hands and that she would check in on me when she could. It was later determined that I had a stroke as a result of the procedure. While a known risk, not a common side effect. But Karin was able to detect the anomaly immediately. Karin and her coworker continued to check on me throughout my stay at Silver Cross. My recovery has been an ongoing process, and my doctor at Shirley Ryan and her team put me on a solid road of recovery at Silver Cross. But my true guardian was Karin. I wouldn't be on this positive road to recovery without her diligence and drive to keep me, her patient, at the forefront of concern. She was my voice, keeping me at Silver Cross for observation. She noticed from the start that something was very wrong and continued to bring in resources to assess and reassess me at every turn. As my day progressed, my wife heard that another patient had said they would want Karin as their nurse if they had the choice. They heard Karin continued to support and drive to ensure that all avenues were explored for me, as this was not a normal recovery from the procedure. On my last day, Karin came to see me before her shift when she learned I would be discharged. She wished me well and felt that I would do well, as she saw the fighter in me the day of the procedure. During my stay, I felt that Karin became part of our family through her frequent visits.

I will forever be indebted to her, as she gave me the best chance of recovery and a return to a normal life. I am not sure how you teach someone this. I think in Karin's case, it is just part of her makeup and her caring nature to help people, and probably the reason she became a nurse. I feel that Karin should be recognized for her professionalism, warmth, and caring nature to both my wife and me. She truly demonstrates the characteristics of someone deserving of the DAISY Award and putting the patient above all. I know she has won an award with me that I will never forget.