I’m writing to express my gratitude and appreciation for the outstanding care I received recently as a patient of the cardiac intensive care unit and the first-floor wing at Maine Medical Center.

In the three days I spent in the acute care unit, recovering from open chest heart surgery, the round-the-clock nurses caring for me – Brandon, Sam, Jonathon, Britni and Jen – were vigilant to meet my every need.

Despite my painful state – including a broken sternum, which made each breath hurt deeply – I was amazed by the smiles and encouragement I saw at every turn.

Just moving in the bed required assistance, and I must have hit the help button close to 1,200 times, and yet I was always greeted with “How can I help?”

After being transferred to the first-floor wing, I also was equally impressed by my new nurses – Izzy, Wanda, Cathy and Rebecca – who had even more patients under their care but were just as attentive. Among many medicines, they were careful to apply a small dose of tough love, too, giving me the strength to get ready to come home.

Their daily smiles, and questions about how I was doing and what they could do to make me feel better, felt like daily miracles.

I want to thank these nurses from the bottom of my new and improved heart!

Michael Lynch
Scarborough