- Posted on April 8, 2024
Patient Stories: Stephanie and Isla
How subtle acts of kindness reassured a new mom
When Stephanie Amorim’s 22-month-old daughter Isla became lethargic with a high fever, Stephanie felt conflicted.
Her gut told her to get Isla to an emergency room, but as a new mom, Stephanie worried her concerns would be chalked up to overreaction and not taken seriously.
Still, Isla’s symptoms – a fever of 39.4 C, visible tremors in her hand and an almost “zombie-like,” demeanour – were concerning. So, Stephanie went with her gut, taking Isla to the nearest emergency department, at St. Mary’s General Hospital, despite never being there before.
When they got to St. Mary’s, a triage nurse took Isla’s temperature and gave her a popsicle to calm her down. When Isla grew fussy, staff did their best to distract her while reassuring Stephanie and her husband.
“Everybody was so patient and understanding,” Stephanie says. “Even when Isla started to improve, I was relieved, but at the same time I was worried that they would be frustrated that we brought her in.
“But that wasn’t the case… We were taken seriously, we were heard, and I felt so much better knowing she was going to be OK.”
A comforting diagnosis
A doctor assessed Isla and determined she had a viral illness. Since her fever had gone down with medication, the family could breathe easily.
Stephanie and her husband were told what to watch for as the illness worked its way out of Isla’s body and received tips on how to give her medication. The couple was also assured they could bring Isla back in with further concerns.
Isla’s diagnosis turned out to not be serious. But it was hard for Stephanie and her husband to be sure of that as they saw their daughter’s concerning symptoms unfold.
Isla has been doing well since her visit to St. Mary’s and is celebrating her second birthday in April.
Appreciating the small things
Stephanie still thinks about that ER visit and the subtle, yet meaningful, acts of kindness that reassured her that she’d make the right decision to bring Isla in.
“I’ve never experienced that personally at a hospital,” she says.
“They treated her like a person...like their own daughter. I’m so thankful for that.”
Are you a Grateful Patient like Stephanie? Share your story or a message of thanks to St. Mary’s staff.
