I was discharged from the 7th floor at SJMC after a 10-day stay. Having recently lost my husband, it was an especially difficult time for me. One of the day shift nurses, Tarick Quinlan-Joseph, truly brightened my days. He was warm, caring, and always made me laugh. He was always asking me about my pain and would circle back to make sure I was feeling better once the meds kicked in. I’m always cold, and he would bring me warm blankets without me even having to ask. I really appreciated that he always took the time to walk with me to the bathroom and even encouraged me to walk out into the hall, and made me feel safe in doing so. I know how busy the staff is, but he never made me feel like a bother.

One time when we were walking, I mentioned the start of a headache, and he quickly made sure there was a chair nearby in case I needed to sit. He also took the time to explain things to my family and me, and if he didn’t know an answer, he always circled back with one. When he was in my room, I always felt like I had his full attention. Even when he wasn’t assigned to me, he would stop by to say hello and check on me.

Thank you, Tarick, for making me feel cared for not just as a patient, but as a person. It meant so much to me.