Denise

From Ruthie --

Denise is a Physician Assistant on our floor, Jones 6. She worked with Dr. Duke and the other trauma doctors until recently when she moved to the Orthopedic Service. What a loss for trauma!!! Denise's brother was very very ill in the hospital some years ago, and it was after that event that she decided to become a Physician Assistant. She has been on both sides of the medical fence so let me tell you a little secret about her. DENISE CARES! Denise cares if you understand, and she cares how you feel . It is not enough for a patient to just be able to live , rather she wants you to be able to control pain, to be able to hear what is going on around you , and to not be afraid. You can ask Denise a question one day and if you forget the answer you can ask her again, and maybe even again. She knows we walk in unfamiliar territory because she too, felt the need to understand during her brother's illness. She was a great connection to Dr. Duke because she worked so closely with him. We called her "the wound vac queen" because she could not only hear a wound vac beeping from anywhere on the floor (with some sort of inner radar she possesses) but she could find the problem, whether it came from the machine itself or more likely from its connections to the wound. I learned so very much from her--I credit passing Wound Vac 101 to my very patient tutor, Denise. Her capabilities for getting things done are amazing. Even though we are not officially on her patient rounds, she comes by to see us and I can call her at ANYTIME. If I could pick the one person who has helped me keep my sanity in the past few months, it would have to be Denise. You can question, you can cry, you can rejoice. Denise is not above you or beyond you. She is right beside you, and I admire her more than I can ever say.