Cameron Memorial Hospital: Holton Michael E MD

Apr 2022

I was a patient on the 2nd floor for a week during April 2022. During my stay, all those who cared for me were wonderful. There were a few individuals who really stood out as going above and beyond. I would like to share the ways they helped to make my hospital stay more comfortable. There were several individuals in and out of my room to clean. All were friendly and did a wipe down of some surfaces, swept and emptied trash bins. There was one young lady named Arin however who disinfected every surface in the room. She wiped down the chairs, doorknobs, bedside table and every other exposed surface, and did all her cleaning in a timely manner. I was very impressed with her thoroughness. She made me feel that the room was really well sanitized. Marcia and Bree were two nursing techs who stood out above the rest. They seemed to know and respond to what I needed before I knew myself. They were so on top of things, always making sure my water cup was filled, I had what I needed for hygiene and comfort, communicating my thoughts, questions and concerns to the nurses and the doctor, and striving to provide a level of comfort that is difficult to find as a hospital patient. I found the respiratory staff to be among the finest that have cared for me. I have chronic respiratory issues and have stayed in other hospital facilities over the past several years, but Alicia, Dan and Garrett really stood out. My first night was difficult as I couldn't catch my breath and the oxygen tube to my nose did not seem to help. I can't remember at this time what it was called, but Dan set me up with a mask system that included moisture and pulled air in from the room as well as providing the doctor's recommended level of oxygen. I was finally able to breathe with this, which was not only a great relief physically, but also calmed my nerves so that I could rest. One thing that stood out was that while he worked with me, he explained everything he was doing and how it should work, keeping my mind occupied. This comforted me (no matter how many times I go through it, it is still very scary not to be able to breathe without fighting for each breath) and calmed both my respiration and my emotions. When I was able, he introduced me to exercises to open and strengthen my lungs. As he did this he made sure that my thoughts and feelings were heard and validated. Alicia's manner was similar and each time she worked with me she also was able to put me at ease with her calm, engaging way of providing information about what was going on with my breathing and oxygen levels. Her nurturing manner cultivated a level of comfort that, again, was so welcome in the hospital setting. Garrett first helped out in the ER, and I was impressed with his precision when he tested my level of blood gasses. His focus and ability to hit just the right spot made for a pain free experience. All of the respiratory staff did good work as they took me through my breathing treatments and exercises, but these three really stood out to me as demonstrating excellence. I found the nursing staff to be top notch, and all were knowledgeable, caring and efficient. Yet Mariah sticks with me as being extra attentive and compassionate. When dealing with other issues on the floor she made sure that I was informed by other staff members if there would be any delays or changes in my care. With her, I felt that I was on top of what was happening in my day-to-day routine as an inpatient. It was obvious that all of the folks mentioned above take their positions very seriously and are dedicated to going over and above to care for others. As I said before, everyone I encountered on the Cameron staff was wonderful. I just wanted to make it known that the ones mentioned above really stand out and rank above excellent. Sincerely, Tamra Lauer