"Compassion Incarnate in a Nurse"

I was supporting my sister with her daughter having an operation on Surgical Daycare at Birmingham Children's Hospital today.

Due to other more important operations we had to sit most of the day and do what most families do - watch. Dan (Bowen I think) was a bouncy staff nurse who wasn't looking after us - but his presence, compassion and care touched my family deeply. We counted the times this young man zoomed up and down the ward engaging and interacting with many families even those he was not responsible for.

At one point I caught him and asked if he could help us find the estimated time of my niece's operation. I noticed (even if he didn't) the beads of sweat on his forehead and the tiredness in his eyes.

But my stopping him didn't hinder his engaging. He didn't pass me on to our nurse (someone we didn't see much of the day - I don't know why? ). He sympathised with our wait - makes the WORLD of difference to a family trust me! ! And went zooming off to find out the info we wanted. We weren't sure if he would forget us - but he didn't. He had clearly phoned and sought out this info from theatres and came and told us.

I will never forget his compassion and care - even though we were not his responsibility. He really cared that we had been waiting and he hurt with us. We as a family will not forget this.

Thank you Birmingham Children's Hospital for a FAB nurse.