I would like to start my story by telling you that I have been a volunteer at McLaren Macomb for 9 years, and for those 9 years, I have been giving my time to the transportation department and have assisted many patients during the discharge process. Many times, while with these patients, they would tell me about the great care they received while they were here and it always made me proud.
Well, on Saturday, August 29, 2015, I was having a pain across my shoulders and was not feeling good. I called my friend, Don, who also volunteers at McLaren Macomb, and he said we were going straight to the hospital.
I was taken to the ER and admitted. Michael, the ER nurse on duty, took excellent care of me. He was outstanding, checking up on me and telling me what he was doing and why. He made me feel at ease in a very stressful situation. From the ER, I was admitted to a room over the weekend and on Monday given a heart cath. Dr. DeYoung and Dr. Mininov explained the results to me and told that I needed to have double bypass surgery. The surgery was scheduled for the next day. I was not nervous, but wanted to speak with my brother. Dr. Mininov took the time to update my brother, a retired ER doctor, about my condition and reassured us both that the surgery would go well. Both doctors were outstanding and showed care and concern and kept me informed throughout my stay in the hospital.
Getting ready for surgery, Lillie, an OR tech, came in and prepared me. She recognized me right away and showed true concern for me. She was very kind and competent and put me totally at ease. Dr. Stenz, the anesthesiologist, was also there and he was great about telling me what he was doing and why. At no time did I have any fear about the upcoming surgery.
After surgery, I was taken to the ICU. While there, a staff member came to see me and she said, "you don't remember me, but I opened your eyes after surgery and just wanted to check on you and see if you were alright." This is the kind of wonderful staff we have here at McLaren Macomb.
My midnight shift nurse was Mary. I was in-and-out most of the night, but I was aware that she was there. That night, she took outstanding care of me and lovingly told me what she was doing each step of the way. For two-and-a-half day, my day shift nurse was Carla. What a fantastic person and nurse she is. I truly felt safe and cared for. She made me feel that I was going to recover 100 percent.
From ICU, I was move to the cardiac specialty unit. My first nurse was Jill and what a fantastic feeling of care and concern she conveyed. While I was there, I received an eye mask to help me sleep during my visit and boy does it work. It is so wonderful that I took it and my teddy bear (that I also received from the hospital) to the rehab facility during my recovery.
My two night nurses were also terrific. I think night time is the hardest time to be in the hospital and they both made me feel very cared for. PAC Refija helped me with my first post-op shower and she was comforting and so very helpful. RN Heather was my nurse on Friday and she is a fantastic nurse "“ so very caring and compassionate. She was always there explaining everything she did. RN Jackie is another great nurse I had on Saturday, making sure I was alright and progressing as I should.
I would also like to give a special thanks to my physical therapist, Louie, for helping me take my first steps to recovery, and OT Rosemary, who showed me some tricks to help me put on my clothes. And to the tremendous transporters Alyssia, Andrea and Brandon, who so carefully and caringly took me to various places around the hospital. Thank you!
To all the staff who brought me food, cleaned my room and made arrangements to get me to my rehab facility, thank you all.
To McLaren Macomb hospital, thank you for saving my life and putting me on the road to recovery.
God bless each and every one of you.
Wade Leonard