LETTERS: HOSPITAL CARE BRINGS HIGHEST PRAISE

To the editor:

I am writing on behalf of our family to publicly express our sincere and deepest appreciation for the nursing staff of the neurological ICU department at Southeast Missouri Hospital.

My mother, MarieAnna Theiss, entered Southeast Missouri Hospital on June 21 following a fall at her home in Perryville. After Dr. Scott Gibbs and the surgical team performed a life-saving surgery of more than six hours, our mother was placed in the neurological intensive-care unit. She remained in that unit for the next five weeks. During the entire period, the care and concern of the nursing staff was outstanding. All of the nurses who were responsible for her were dedicated, compassionate and extremely diligent in their duties. They often went out of their way to explain procedures and treatments being given. When we had questions, they answered those questions fully and clearly without treating them or us as foolish or frivolous.

The respect and regard for my mother as an individual was evident. The nurses clearly considered her to be a person, not just a patient, and treated her accordingly. We do no know what level of recovery she will achieve, but without a doubt the intensive-care nurses played a primary role in her surviving and in her progress to this point. I fully believe God worked through those nurses to bring about the recovery that has taken place.

The nurses -- most notably Karen, Charlie, Teresa, Debbie, Kristine, Sheila, Hope, Steve, Mrs. Jose Rodriguez and speech therapist Edith Jones -- are deserving of recognition, respect and reward for their professionalism and devotion to the care of and to their patients.

When we expressed our thanks to Dr. Gibbs, he was quick to point out that the nurses were the ones to receive any credit, as their minute-to-minute care was the key to our mother's recovery. We have the utmost respect and admiration for Dr. Gibbs and his use of the gifts God has given him. His bedside manner was wonderful in that he was both patient and kind as well as honest and encouraging.

STEVEN THEISS

Columbia