Swedish Staff - Second Family!

Greetings to All! I am dedicating this entry to the staff @ Swedish for always being so awesome, that they are like a second family to us! This is also for someone who wrote an e-mail to me from Holland - his name is Marijn and he also has an avm! Dr. Yakes assisted Marijn's Radiologist on a procedure in Holland, so I wanted a chance to show Marijn some of the people that help me on my avm journey!

In the photos you'll see Julie Labadie (middle photo)- she is Dr. Yakes Nurse and sooo good about being there for you! She was the first medical person I talked to after contacting the patient coordinator @ the time - Lezlie Frank! I kept telling Julie how many other doctors had promised they could help and she kept assuring me that Dr. Yakes would be able to help me! She always calls after I'm home a week or so after a procedure to see how I'm doing and answers e-mails w/questions I have!

You'll also see Rhonda Sharp (top photo)- Dr. Yakes Physician Assistant. Poor Rhonda - she's the one I would call @ all hours when I would have a bleed! Luckily, we've finallly "gotten used to" having those bleeds, so we don't wake her up too often any more! She has a great sense of humor and is great about explaining all the meds I have to take!

Of course I have to show a photo of the main man - Dr. Yakes! He has a wonderful bedside manner! When my sister Celia met him for the first time, she got up and said, "Wow! I feel like I'm meeting a Rock Star"! Dr. Yakes is amazing and super nice and comforting!

(You can see a picture of me w/Eric, the new P.A. in my timeline photos! He is very nice, easy to talk to and seems to enjoy his new job @ Swedish!)

I have to mention some of my favorite nurses! Dave - so full of energy and enthusiastic about everything he does - great @ his job! Don - so good @ his job - he anticipated what I needed before I even asked for it! Always made me feel very well cared for and comfortable! Julianne - so sweet! I always look horrible after a procedure and she made me feel special and always hugged me! Jimara is no longer w/Swedish, but she was great fun to talk to! Brett - super nice and will just be back from her honeymoon on an Alaskan Cruise when I see her again! She always makes me feet great - very warm and friendly! My new favorite nurse - Gina! She and I are avid readers apparently, so this gives us something great in common! Gina is nice enough to chat a while when she comes in to give me my meds in the middle of the night! Of course we can't forget Rosie! She is from Puerto Rico and used to be in Housekeeping - went back to school and now she is a tech! So she fills me in on the latest when she comes in to take my vitals! Rosie would help me communicate w/JoAnna from Portugal! Of course you already know Saba, another tech, from one of my earlier blogs!

These are the people that make my avm journey bearable when I'm in Colorado! I have to mention Sue, my favorite nurse in Ambulatory Care and Rick, my favorite Recovery Room Nurse! They are both hilarious and do their jobs well! I can't imagine when my treatments are finally over - that I won't be seeing these people anymore! I spent my last birthday with them this year! They couldn't believe I was having a treatment on my birthday - but why not be with my other family, right?

Ok, here's hoping I don't have any bleeds to report any time soon!

Take care everyone! We'll keep you posted on the latest! Thanks for stopping by!

Love,

Cyndi