My father S.B was in the ICU unit after hip surgery for a fall. He was in very bad shape and was miserable with a swollen abdomen. Meri was persistent in finding out what was causing the swelling. Because of her expertise, an X-ray was done, and the doctor found a perforated ulcer. Emergency surgery was scheduled for after Meri’s shift, but she stayed two hours after her shift was over to help prep my dad for surgery. Meri was not assigned to my dad's room the next day, but she came by twice to check on my father’s progress. I cannot thank Meri enough. Without her persistence and knowledge, I am not sure my dad would have had the same successful outcome.

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Meri was our nurse for my dad on the day shift. Meri was like a member of our family. She would always answer our questions in a very professional way. The day my dad passed away, she tried to explain everything that would be happening as they took him off the ventilator. She very much deserves this award. I feel like he was a special person to her, as she would call him “Paw Paw”; this is what he was called by his grandchildren. I think if he had known her, he would have loved her like we did.