Appreciation for Nurses

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Just passing through, and have to tell you people of the gift you give. I am in my 37th year of teaching world history, coaching football and softball at Linden High School. I had two heart attacks in 2003, the second one occured in the CICU where two nurses saved my life. I weighed 360 lbs, and over the course of the next 8 months, I lost 165 lbs, had four stents put in my heart, and finally after 5 failed cardiolite stress tests, I was told I needed open heart surgery. I had the triple by-pass done on August 26, 2003, I was back on the football field 8 days later, and because of the great care, compassion and encouragement give to me by the nurses at St Joseph's Medical Center in Stockton, Ca, I have a whole new outlook on life, and am living it to the fullest. I have gone from a size 46 pants to a size 32, My softball team went 29-0, was the #1 ranked team in Division IV in California, last year, I was selected as the State of California's small schools softball 'Coach of the Year', my two granddaughters have been born since my heart attacks. Sometimes I think I am living a dream. The hospital has put me on a billboard with the caption "Miracles Happen", and the billboards are in the Stockton, Lodi, Manteca, Tracy and Modesto areas of central California. Everyone once in a while people come into our lives and stay awhile, and when they go, they leave footprints on our hearts....the nurses left theirs on mine. When I was discharged from he hospital, I was given a pillow shaped heart, and I got 55 signatures from the different people at the hospital that took care of me. My heart surgeons, and the nurses in the CICU, SICU, MOU, SOU, Nuclear Medicine, Radiology, Operating Room, Cardiac Cath Lab, and the Emergency Room when I was taken there by ambulance. All I can honestly say is 'God Bless you wonderful people".

Mark Miller

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Specializes in Adult SICU; open heart recovery.
All I can honestly say is 'God Bless you wonderful people".

Mark Miller

Mark,

Thanks so much for the kind words! I'm glad you're doing so well and had such a good experience with nurses. Spread the word! :thankya:

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Mark thank you for sharing a good experience...so often the bad experiences are prioritized and all the good ones ignored...particularly in our field. So glad you have done so well!!

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

Nice post. :)

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Specializes in OB.

Thank you so much for your kind and inspiring post. :)

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Just passing through, and have to tell you people of the gift you give. I am in my 37th year of teaching world history, coaching football and softball at Linden High School. I had two heart attacks in 2003, the second one occured in the CICU where two nurses saved my life. I weighed 360 lbs, and over the course of the next 8 months, I lost 165 lbs, had four stents put in my heart, and finally after 5 failed cardiolite stress tests, I was told I needed open heart surgery. I had the triple by-pass done on August 26, 2003, I was back on the football field 8 days later, and because of the great care, compassion and encouragement give to me by the nurses at St Joseph's Medical Center in Stockton, Ca, I have a whole new outlook on life, and am living it to the fullest. I have gone from a size 46 pants to a size 32, My softball team went 29-0, was the #1 ranked team in Division IV in California, last year, I was selected as the State of California's small schools softball 'Coach of the Year', my two granddaughters have been born since my heart attacks. Sometimes I think I am living a dream. The hospital has put me on a billboard with the caption "Miracles Happen", and the billboards are in the Stockton, Lodi, Manteca, Tracy and Modesto areas of central California. Everyone once in a while people come into our lives and stay awhile, and when they go, they leave footprints on our hearts....the nurses left theirs on mine. When I was discharged from he hospital, I was given a pillow shaped heart, and I got 55 signatures from the different people at the hospital that took care of me. My heart surgeons, and the nurses in the CICU, SICU, MOU, SOU, Nuclear Medicine, Radiology, Operating Room, Cardiac Cath Lab, and the Emergency Room when I was taken there by ambulance. All I can honestly say is 'God Bless you wonderful people".

Mark Miller

I'm glad to hear you're doing so well! Congratulations on the positive lifestyle changes and keep up the good work! :)

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Specializes in Neuro Critical Care.

Comments like that are why I am a nurse. Thanks!

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I have been asked to speak at a Food 4 Less Pro-Am Golf Tournament on July 15th, as the Passion Speaker for the AMA. This is receiving more attention than I think it warrants, would I be out of line, in inviting the two nurses that were so critical to my survival, and introduce them, as the heroes in this entire episode? I think the world of those two, and they did far more than 'just doing their job', if just one of them had dropped the ball, I wouldn't be here. Your thoughts? There will be 200 plus golfers and guests in attendance.

Mark

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I have been asked to speak at a Food 4 Less Pro-Am Golf Tournament on July 15th, as the Passion Speaker for the AMA. This is receiving more attention than I think it warrants, would I be out of line, in inviting the two nurses that were so critical to my survival, and introduce them, as the heroes in this entire episode? I think the world of those two, and they did far more than 'just doing their job', if just one of them had dropped the ball, I wouldn't be here. Your thoughts? There will be 200 plus golfers and guests in attendance.

Mark

I don't see why not....

However, be sure to emphasize that there is no obligation whatsoever to come, as they might not feel comfortable doing so.

Glad to hear you had such a positive experience

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Specializes in Inpatient Acute Rehab.

Mark Miller, Your post shows what nursing is all about!!!! THANK YOU!!!

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Specializes in Community Health Nurse.

Thank you for taking the time to post your thoughts and gratitude for nurses, especially the ones who worked so closely with your healing process. Glad you are better and living a more healthy lifestyle. Keep up the good work so you can be around for a much longer time. Sounds like a lot of kids and other people depend on you. You are the hero to those kids ya know. :icon_hug:

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Thank you for taking the time to post your thoughts and gratitude for nurses, especially the ones who worked so closely with your healing process. Glad you are better and living a more healthy lifestyle. Keep up the good work so you can be around for a much longer time. Sounds like a lot of kids and other people depend on you. You are the hero to those kids ya know. :icon_hug:

:saint: Being new to this website, I've been reading through some postings.And I decided to reply here.I've always worked in an "adult world," except for those few teenagers we get who are 13,14 and too unstable to be transferred to our Children's Hospital.We get the worst of the worst, but do you know who my heroes are ? The Pediatric Staff @ Kiddies. They have angels on their shoulders.And the nurses hide their wings under their scrubs. My kudos to all of you in childrenworld.

THE NIGHTINGALE NAME IS OURS.

THE IDEAL PERSISTS.

THE LAMP BURNS ON.

THE SYMBOL ENDURES.

-Styles,M.M.(1992),quote.

-Nightingale,F.(1859).Notes on Nursing.

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