Margaret McSweeny showed extraordinary dedication and support. I have the privilege of working alongside Margaret with a Veteran who is in recovery from serious intravenous drug use. He has been doing remarkably well, and Margaret’s commitment to his well-being went above and beyond in a situation that could have had dire consequences.

A while ago, I had been taking this Veteran to dental surgical appointments. On one occasion, after a complex oral surgery, the independent dentist sent his pain medication prescription to a random CVS pharmacy. Unfortunately, we were unable to locate the prescription, and to complicate matters further, the dentist's office had already closed for the day. The Veteran had undergone bone plate surgery for implants and was experiencing excruciating pain. He confided in me that he was close to relapsing due to the intensity of his discomfort.

Understanding the urgency of the situation, Margaret sprang into action. She reached out to her network and called people she knew, including some of whom were off duty. Through her tireless efforts, she managed to get the prescription transferred to our pharmacy just 10 minutes before it closed. They were able to bring the medication to the Veteran’s apartment, providing him with the relief he desperately needed. Thanks to her intervention, the Veteran stayed on track with his recovery, moved into a new apartment, and embarked on his out-of-state PTSD program. I believe her care and concern are genuine and go above and beyond almost daily. She is an amazing addition to the VMHAP team!