Ronnie saved me. I had been in the hospital for 4 ½ days until we met. I had tried to escape hospital 4 times. I’d sit on the edge of the bed and a nurse would come into my room and yell at me to get back to bed. I’m leaving, I’m going home, no get back to bed. This was my routine from Wednesday to Friday. I did not trust anyone. I did not know where I was. I did not trust anyone. I did not recognize anything outside my window. Friday, I’m in ICU, I decide I’m leaving. Every time I’d sit on the edge of the bed bells would ring. They even brought in a TV monitor to my room to watch my moves. Now George Orwell is in my room. I’d had it. I sit up, and bells start to ring; Ronnie comes into my room. Where are you going, T? I’m going home. No, you need to go back to bed. We did this several times Friday night. Ronnie finally said you go back to bed, I’ll be back tomorrow and we can talk some more.

Ronnie’s voice is so calming. He never got upset, angry, or mean. Just calming…soothing, honestly! Saturday came around, and I started my routine of getting out of bed, nurses sending me back, no explanation, just do it. Sure enough, Ronnie showed up for his shift. I had it, I’d been in hospital for 4 ½ days, and I’m going home. I start to get dressed. Ronnie says, T you don’t want to do this, there is a thing called AMA, and if you leave, you would be stuck with the whole bill, insurance wouldn’t pay. I don’t care, I’m going home. Do you think you should call your wife first? No, that’s where I’m going. I’m trying to get dressed. Ronnie says it will be easier if you put your cath bag through one leg hole of your underwear. It did work better. I get fully dressed. Ronnie says you don’t want to leave. I said I’m getting the hell out of here. Ronnie asks why. Because I don’t trust anyone here. They don’t tell me anything that’s going on with my drugs, what they are doing. I don’t recognize where I am, people, buildings. I feel like I’m in purgatory, and these nurses are deciding my fate. I feel like I’m in the Twilight Zone episode called “To Serve Man.” Aliens come down and fix all of the earthlings' problems; no floods, no famine, no wars, just a perfect world. Our most smartest scientist tried to decode their book, but couldn’t. Finally decoded their book, he ran out to the next boarding rocket and yelled get off the rocket, their book is a cookbook. That’s how I felt: no control. Ronnie says wow, that’s a lot of stuff. I know why I have to leave. Ronnie says, but you can’t leave. I’m leaving; I’m going home. Ronnie says in his soothing voice, well, let me come with you. I don’t care; I’m going. RONNIE says ok, let’s go to the elevators. Ronnie gets help because his badge only works 3rd floor equipment. We get down to 1st floor and Ronnie ask now what, T? What do you want to do? I just want to go outside. I’ve been cooped up in this room. I just want to go outside. The doors open, I walked outside and breathed in the air, feeling the breeze on my face. I turned to him and said thanks, Ronnie I think this is what I needed. We walked out to the fence and talked about hunting, racing, and sports. We talked for about 45 minutes. We came back in. It was 430 a.m. His soothing, caring voice got me past my anxiety and fear. The care got me through my fears.

I consider Ronnie a true friend. Please honor him with your DAISY Award. He is a truly deserving person. I don’t think I’ve ever met a nicer person. Ronnie's kindest, caring way is most deserving. If he had not got me outside that night, I don’t know what I would have done, I was getting desperate. Ronnie saved me a lot of bills and possibly some jail time. Hutchinson Regional Hospital is very fortunate to have Ronnie work for them. Thank you, Ronnie, you’re a very special person.