Mrs. Angela Garrelts came to us on February 27 after being at Cancer Treatment of America. She had gone there on 2/21 for an abscess that had developed 3 weeks prior. Cancer Treatment of America told Angie that she was septic and needed to be on vasopressors and temporary hemodialysis for her acute renal failure. Her renal cancer had metastasized to the bone. Angie and her family began reaching out to local hospitals to find one who could treat the sepsis and renal failure. This way she would be closer to home. Angie’s husband reached out to Phil Kambic who recommended that they come to Riverside. As the staff cared for Angela, they learned quite a bit about her personal life too. They learned that Angie’s daughter, Mindy, was going to be getting married in April. The staff were determined to get Angie well enough to make it to the wedding. Throughout the days Angie was in the ICU the staff knew it was unrealistic that Angie would make it to the wedding. Dr. Veerapanini validated this after she was consulted.

Jessica Norman and Allison Sloan approached Korene Scharp about hosting a wedding on the unit. This was a great idea and that is when the planning started. On March 2nd Jessica asked Angie, her husband Chad, and their daughter Mindy if they would like to have Mindy’s wedding in the ICU. After discussing it amongst themselves, they decided to go through with the wedding while Angie was in the ICU. Jessica and the rest of the ICU staff went straight to work, gathering wedding supplies and went shopping for all the things they needed. We had two days to plan a wedding. Mindy had decided to get married on March 4, 2022, at 11am. The staff was able to decorate room 10 and make it as beautiful as they could. They set up a beautician to do Angie’s hair for the wedding. Mindy brought in the mother of the bride dress along with her wedding dress. Marketing was gracious enough to not only take photos but also do a video that Mindy and her family will cherish for years to come. We had a wedding cake made by a family member of another patient who had been in the ICU.

It was a unit effort to get this wedding lined up within two days. After decorating ICU room 10 the day of the wedding, the staff focused on getting Angie ready for the wedding. We put her in her dress and set her up in a cardiac chair. This was the first time she had sat up in a chair in two weeks! We took her into the wedding room, as we all waited for Mindy to arrive with her father Chad. The music started and the bride walked in, as beautiful as ever. There was not a dry eye in the house. Mindy and Dustin chose to write their own vows to each other, which were beautiful. Mindy’s uncle officiated the wedding making it even more special. After the ceremony Mindy and Angie, her mother, were able to have a mother/daughter dance to a special song just for them. All the other wedding traditions were had, cake cutting, 3 of 25 Integrity – Excellence – Partnership – Stewardship dinner and time to socialize with all the staff that cared for Angie and her family. It was such a wonderful day in the ICU. This story shows just how magical nursing truly can be.

Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer LaTivia Carr, along with Riverside President and CEO Phil Kambic were on hand today to recognize our most recent D.A.I.S.Y. award recipient. Congratulations, Moranda Matheson, RN from I.M.C.U.!

The nomination received was submitted by the family of a patient cared for by nurse Matheson and read: On January 7th, 2022, around 7:35 p.m. I called the step-down I.C.U. to get an update on my mother, Patricia Hatfield, who was being treated for COVID pneumonia. Charge Nurse Moranda Matheson answered my call. Nurse Matheson spoke to me for 30 minutes or more, answering all of my questions in detail with kindness and sympathy, never once rushing to get off the phone. After my questions were answered, Nurse Matheson asked when was the last time I spoke to my mom.

I replied Thursday night when she left her home via ambulance. I began to cry because my mom was all alone, with no phone, and we were not allowed to see her. All my mom knew was that she was sick and in the hospital and that I was right behind her thinking I would be able to stay with her. All I could think was that she must’ve been so scared all alone with no way of knowing anything. You see, my mother had the beginning stages of dementia. She got confused a lot. Her children were the only ones she trusted. Nurse Matheson asked me if I had an iPhone and I said my daughter does. She then gave me her personal number and said, “give me a few minutes and have her FaceTime me.” After a few minutes, we called and we were greeted with a smile and a wave by my mom. I was able to reassure my mom that she was okay, that the nurses were taking good care of her, that she was not alone, that we would be there as soon as the hospital would allow us, but most importantly, we were able to tell my mom that we all loved her so much and with joy in my mother’s heart, she replied that she loved us all. With this incredible act of kindness, Nurse Matheson had given my mother the comfort and reassurance she needed and although we didn’t know it at the time, Nurse Matheson had given us all the greatest blessing one could have: a chance to make sure my mom knew we loved her and for my mom to reply to us before God called her home the next morning.

My mother left this world knowing she wasn’t alone and she was so very loved. She got to say “I love you all” one last time because one amazing charge nurse unselfishly turned around and picked up the phone even though she was walking out the doors to go home for the night. To our angel Moranda Matheson, we will never be able to thank you enough for the precious and irreplaceable gift you have given us. You will forever be proof that God works through his people and that angels do walk the earth. May God bless you and yours always with lots of thanks and love, Patricia Hatfield’s family.