To all the Hannah, Jaque, Annalise and Sams and so many of my other nurses out there:

You are my heroes in medicines. 

On paper,  you cared for me at my weakest hours, monitoring my vitals, distributing my medications, helping me even just feel some relief from pain, charted for hours, and advocated to the physicians for me. 
But most importantly you cared for me. Yes, the doctors are due their credit for all their work too. But you were the ones…

 …at my bedside at the call of the button

…you were the ones making me laugh, when I got down

…you were the ones helping me do the simplest of things again, all with encouragement and patience as though you had no other patients. 

…you were the ones being advocates to the doctors, when a new idea was needed. 

…you cheered me on before every cath, and gave me hope before my CABG. 

…you treated me after my CABG with empathy and treated me as though I was your friend. 

..you always treated me as a person and as a patient, but never just as a patient. 

..you did so much more than words can express. So when your shift seems never ending, remember the patients who couldn’t have done it without your help. When your tired of charting, remember your words help us. And when you lose a patient, remember there is another one grateful that what you do everyday kept them alive and they are grateful for it.  

Keep fighting the good fight my nurse Warriors! You rock.