Patient Stories

Letters of Appreciation

Frequently, we receive letters of thanks from patients, their families and friends. We are very touched by these kind words and appreciate the time and effort made to reach us. We’d like to share excerpts from some of these letters with you.

I am writing to express my sincerest gratitude to and appreciation for the members of your staff who cared for me during my recent stay at your hospital.

I have been a patient of Dr. David Schmidt at the Center for Advanced Reproductive Services for the best part of two years. Dr. Schmidt has always been a wonderful doctor – informative, patient, warm, and endless source of optimism – but in the last month there have been three events that have made me realize just how extraordinary he is, and how far he goes to care for his patients.

The first incident was during my transfer in early May. The doctor performing the transfer disagreed with the number of embryos to be transferred and called Dr. Schmidt to consult. Dr. Schmidt managed to drop what he was doing, rushed upstairs (literally, he ran) and sat down with me for a good ten minutes to discuss my options and counsel me. He really didn’t need to present himself; I trust him completely and would have done what he recommended over the phone but he talked to me as if I were family.

The second incident was later in May, when I showed up to the office with abdominal pain and fears of a miscarriage. Again, he managed to see me within 45 minutes (even though he was doing a transfer at the time!), performed an ultrasound and calmed me down.

Early in the morning at the end of May after receiving instructions from the Center’s on-call doctor, I arrived at the ER in severe pain. By midmorning, Dr. Schmidt was in the OR performing an exploratory laparoscopy; he found a tubal pregnancy and acute blood loss. On the way into the OR I thanked him for being there, it was quite reassuring to have him perform the surgery, rather than a stranger. I told him I did not know how he found the time and he simply said “we make the time.” I am very thankful that my regular doctor made himself available to care for me during the emergency; to him it may be a regular day, but being in his hands provided me much needed serenity.

I would also like to commend the other individuals who cared for me during hospitalization. The ER nurse Chris and the traumatologist (in my distress I missed his name) were prompt, and went a long way to make me comfortable and calm me down. The traumatologist was very gentle in his examination and soothing in his words. Shortly after he examined me, Dr. Schmidt’s fellow, Dr. Griffin, arrived and I believe led my care from this point. He was my main guide and source of information through the process, was in the OR and checked in with me that afternoon and the day after. I had met him at an earlier appointment but through this ordeal we became more acquainted; his bedside manner was a good match for me, he was detailed, direct and positive. It is a shame his position at the Center ends this month.

At the maternity ward, Amy and Irene B. were my nurses on Friday, Jenny on Saturday. All of them were sweet and gentle. I felt very pampered and safe in their hands. Eileen was my bright and cheery CNA, the first person to make me laugh after the procedure.

Finally, I have to give brownie points to the anesthesiologist, since my first words to him were “do not kill me please.” He took it in stride, was kind and not scary. I’m sorry I do not know his name, I was pretty drugged by then.

From the moment I called the Center’s after-hours emergency line to the moment I was wheeled out of the hospital, your staff mobilized promptly, treated me with respect and managed to relieve my physical pain and my emotional anguish. I am deeply grateful.

Please commend your staff on behalf of a very satisfied patient.

I was transferred to the UConn Health Center after three days in the ICU at another area hospital due to a heart attack. I went to UConn for an angioplasty, I was very scared. Joanne, from Cardio Step Down Unit, the nurse who received me was so sweet and nice to me. She and the nurses there work very hard to provide the patients with the best care. I appreciated everything they did for me. Thank you!

I would like to share some of my experience with the GI Procedure Center in April. I was scheduled for routine procedures and was extremely apprehensive.

As I walked down the corridor to the area, I was taken aback by the rather depressing concrete walls and line of curtained cubicles affording not much privacy. I thought perhaps I made a mistake using this facility.

How wrong I was! I received professional, warm attention from the entire team assigned to me. From the warm welcome at the reception area to the final send-off by the discharge nurse, I was impressed.

I realize that the care I received did not depend on the walls and curtains, but on the type of personnel working there. I now understand that a good hospital is not just concrete and instruments, but the people who work there. The entire team, from the medical assistant to Drs. Devers and Shaw, are to be commended.

The lack of privacy allowed me to observe how they treated others in the area. I received no better or less care than anyone else being treated.

I have enclosed the card I received so that specific staff may be acknowledged. Please convey my thanks also to those who helped build this great team.

Hi Gang!

Just had to write you all a note to express my thanks and appreciation. I know what it’s like to deal with individuals' personalities, responsibilities and stress on an hourly/daily basis. It can be trying at times. However, each and every one of you showed no negative signs of the above… just the opposite!

My first stay on the 7th floor after back surgery, to say the least, was wonderful! When I decided to go forward with my second surgery, the thought of being back on the 7th floor was a big factor in my decision. I really kind of missed you all!

My stays were short compared to others, but I felt like a little kid after his first stay at camp... couldn’t wait to get back! Sounds silly, but it’s true. The professionalism, attention, concern, interest and sincerity toward my well-being and comfort was genuine and expressed by all staff, from supervisors, nurses, transport, and housekeeping. There is no special order, you’re all equal!

The teasing, jokes, and hearty laughs (which went both ways) was my best medicine. It was a pleasure to be around you all. I kind of felt part of the gang!

I’m doing very well at home, and progressing quickly. You all know I can’t sit still!

Well, good health and happiness to all on the 7th, and always be proud of your influence on others.

Thanks for all your care.

Oh yea, thanks for helping me memorize my name and birthday!

We would like to express our thanks and appreciation for the wonderful care Dr. Makkar gave to our daughter during her hemangioma treatment. You and your staff were amazing and we could not have asked for better care. We are truly grateful to have had you as her doctor. Thank you!

Dr. Makkar, I wanted to take a moment to thank you for the excellent work you did removing the skin cancer from my face. The scar is barely noticeable and I am truly grateful for your surgical expertise. Your staff was also compassionate and reassuring with the entire process. I would highly recommend your center to family and friends.

I would not forgive myself if I didn’t try to write to thank you. But I don’t’ think any words could possibly be adequate to express my feelings or gratitude to you. How do you thank a person for saving your health and extending your life? It’s impossible.

I think of all the people on the 6th floor and that line from a Paul Simon song comes to mind, “These are the days of miracles and wonders…”

Anyway, thank you. I go to church and on my knees I say “Thank you for Dr. Hook and all the people on the 6th floor.”

What luck, what blessings. Take care of yourself and all the best to you and yours. I hope we meet again one day.

I just wanted to send you a note to thank you for my successful Mohs surgery Dr. Makkar performed in July. I’ve finally taken the Band-Aid off. My whole procedure was painless and I appreciate everything you and your staff did to make the surgery certainly not an unpleasant experience. You are gifted and very kind young surgeon. Also, please thank Lea for being a “peach” of a nurse. She was a very stabilizing and wonderful nurse I am sure her daughter will follow in her very capable footsteps. Thank you again.

Here I am again, singing the praises of the UConn Health Center New England Musculoskeletal Institute. I have written you more than a few times to tell you how wonderful the doctors, nurses and all the staff are there.

I know this letter will sound a lot like the ones before, but it has to be said again.

I had the pleasure of visiting there in July. I went for an injection performed by Dr. Joseph Walker. It would be hard for me to trust anyone else to do an injection in my spine. I have absolutely no fear at all when I’m in his hands. I can’t believe how lucky I am to have found such a wonderful doctor. Of course, all my doctors at the New England Musculoskeletal Institute are super heroes for me.

I want to take this moment to single out the fine people that tended to me that day. It wouldn’t be the same if I went there and I didn’t see Mark. What a fantastic human being. He is so caring and fun. I so look forward to seeing him. We’re like old friends now. Don’t’ lose this guy. You’re lucky to have him. So am I.

Then of course there’s Karen for my pre- and post-op. Lovely girl, very efficient. She won’t leave until her patient is secured or ready for release. I sure do like that.

Chris, Chuck and Al in the OR were very kind and expert at their jobs too. What a team. I can’t believe my luck having them in there with me. Chris is like an old pal too.

Of course, Tracy was a lovely girl and helped take care of me post-op too – and with a wonderful smile.

As always, my experience at the New England Musculoskeletal Institute was wonderful.

I forgot to mention the very first person you see at Dr. Walker’s office. She should be mentioned. Jody, I love that girl. She’s always caring and ready to help. She’s like Dr. Walker’s right hand.

Thank you again and please express my gratitude to all my friends who took such wonderful care of me that day.

We are writing in regard to my hospital stay in September 2012. I had acute pneumonia and MRSA and was a patient on your floor. We were actually on a trip to Connecticut to babysit our granddaughter when I was taken ill, so my husband spent most of his time with me at the hospital: hence the opinions are from both of us.

During my stay we did not encounter one negative person and everyone we came in contact with was professional, courteous and concerned with my well being: from the staff in the Emergency Room, housekeeping, food service, nursing staff to interns and doctors. I have had a few hospital stays and my experience at your hospital was by far the best care I have ever received. Since everyone we came in contact with was exceptional, and especially the nursing staff, we hesitate to mention any names for fear of leaving someone out, but one of your nurses, Kelly Kucia went way beyond the call of duty for us and deserves a very special thanks for her efforts. I found out that I would need a doctor's letter from your hospital in order to fly home to Florida and Kelly took care of that for us, faxing the letter to our son at his place of work and following up to make sure that we received it. We also met with the pulmonologist, Dr. Foley prior to leaving and he spent a great deal of time explaining my condition and treatment to us.

Please extend our deepest appreciation to all of your staff for the wonderful care I received while at your hospital.

In July, I had shoulder surgery done by Dr. Kevin Shea. I just wanted to tell you how wonderful my experience was at the Health Center. The entire staff was warm, professional and concerned starting with my first contact, Dana.

First of all I think Dr. Shea is the best! He is upbeat, upfront, concerned and caring. Before my release, he sat down with my husband and me and acted as if he had no other patients and that he had plenty of time to answer all my questions. Kim Stanowski, his physician assistant, was very professional and helpful. I always felt confident that I was getting the best care and was always at ease during my follow-up appointments.

On the day of the surgery I was a little nervous but the entire staff put my worries to rest. The anesthesiologist sat down with me and allayed my fears. And I have to say that this is the first time that I awoke from surgery and was not nauseated or got sick. It was as if I had just taken a nap.

Everyone I came in contact with was a professional and seemed to be genuinely happy to be there. It was a calm and reassuring atmosphere. I have high praise for the University of Connecticut Health Center and I make sure everyone I know hears about it. I wouldn't hesitate in the least to recommend your outpatient services. A special thank you goes to Maribeth, Mark, and Lisa in pre-op; Dr. Shea, Dr. Shaw, Kelli, Terri, and Lauren in the OR; Georgiana in recovery and the young man that wheeled me out to the car. They all made me feel comfortable, safe and positive.

In 1999, Dr. Hilary Onyiuke operated on my back and gave me eight great years of mobile freedom back to my life. I had developed degenerative disc disease which I say came from a severe accident while in basic training in the United States Army back in 1974.

Though I worked for many years to support my family, I put off needed surgery by self medicating in many different ways to the point of addiction. With Dr. Onyiuke's care and guidance, I have given up the use of narcotics for any type of pain unless severe and highly guarded by him. He has also helped me stop smoking cigarettes, a 40 year off and on habit of two to three packs per day.

Doctor Onyiuke doesn't know it but he gave me the freedom of mobility I hadn't had in many years with little to no pain in my lower back after I had healed completely from surgery. Since his surgery I was had been doing great.

I was back to work full-time for a few years until I fell off a horse and damaged a stimulator in my back and broke three ribs. I became morbidly obese because of depression which set in and the pain I was going through being bedridden most of the time and every time it rained my pain increased.

For the last year Dr. Onyiuke had me go on a diet until reaching the specified goal to perform surgery again where I pray and hope to get at least another ten or more years of great health through his expertise in the musculoskeletal field. I recommend him highly and have waited patiently as we have exhausted every other avenue before performing surgery to both our satisfaction.

Thank you and your care giving staff for all your professionalism in helping me become whole again.

Dr. Onyiuke, God bless you and your hands.

I want to say THANK YOU to all very special people who gave me their professional and human help during (also before and after) my endoscopy and colonoscopy procedure. I don't know all their names but I would like to name those I know first: Dr. Thomas Devers, Lisa – medical assistant, Annina and Francisca – admitting nurses, and Kinga and Terri – recovery nurses.

You are the best guys and you represent the best hospital in USA.

God Bless All of You.

I was in excruciating pain from a herniated lumbar disk and was hospitalized on the 7th floor. Every one of the nurses and the other staff members were absolutely outstanding. They were highly skilled, professional, compassionate and absolutely delightful individuals. I won't soon forget the wonderful care I received from Ula, Micky, Ileana, Krystyna, Barbara B. and Donna from PT, David Kotler, Dr. Onyiuke and several others whose names I can't recall (due to pain meds). Real teamwork was evident. UConn Health Center is truly fortunate to have these professionals on their staff.

I am writing on behalf of my family to express our sincere appreciation and gratitude for the outstanding care and compassion your staff provided my mother during her prolonged illness. From December 2011, until her death in April 2012, she was admitted numerous times and cared for by many physicians, nurses, nursing assistants and respiratory therapists in the ER, the ICU, and the 3rd, 4th and 6th floor Nursing Units. During each of these hospitalizations, every aspect of our mothers care was planned and explained not only to our mother, but to her nine children who accompanied her during these final months.

The nursing staff that cared for our mother truly represents the best in nursing. I spent 30 years as a nurse in the Air Force Medical Service and can honestly say that the care given throughout UConn Health Center is superb. I wish I could name each and every one, but I would like to recognize some of those who my Mom and our family felt very close to during this time. On the fourth floor, Avery, Sabine and Shannon were the nurses who most often cared for Mom, along with nursing assistants, Denise, Myriam and Jannet. We celebrated our Mom’s 80th birthday on the sixth floor and the staff was wonderful in providing space and seating for so many friends and family who came by. Once we moved her to hospice care on the 6th floor, Mala, Marybeth and Robyn ensured that not only Mom, but the entire family was cared for during her final days. Robyn facilitated eight family members spending the night in Mom’s hospital room and she laughed with us, cried with us and cared for all of us each step of this journey. We will always be grateful to her for such a heartwarming experience. I’m sure we received extra special attention on the 6th floor because our cousin is the nurse manager and we cannot thank her enough, but it is evident that the philosophy of compassionate care is throughout the facility and that is a tribute to the excellence that permeates throughout the UConn Health Center.

We also want to thank the outstanding medical teams who also cared for Mom over many months and years. Dr. Raymond Foley, Dr. W. David Hager, Dr. Michael Steinberg, Diahann Wilcox and Marybeth Barry cared for Mom for many years, through numerous crises and assisted her and all of us with the end of life and hospice decisions. They were very special to my Mom and we are grateful for all they did. In the last three months, Dr. Anat Bergner, Dr. Joanna Grabska, Dr. Momina Salman and Dr. Anthony Dotur cared for her on the units and were very attentive to not only the many medical issues she had, but always allowed her to be in control of her care. They represent the best in today’s health care system.

It is never easy to lose a loved one, but the teamwork and compassion we felt at UConn made this experience one we will never forget. We have asked friends and family to send donations in our mothers name to the UConn Foundation for the Center for Nursing Excellence. We hope in some way we can assist you in continuing to carry the torch for compassionate health care to the community you serve. Thank you again for all you did for Mom and the nine of us.

In 2000, I was working and fell nearly 50 feet from a tree. I landed on my feet but still smashed my face into a tree stump. I lost 21 teeth, my pallet came out of my mouth and into my hand, and the entire left side of my face looked like it was struck several times with a sledge hammer. One hospital attempted to put me back together but they were not equipped to do so. After two surgeries, I was transferred to John Dempsey Hospital where many dentists, lead by Dr. David Shafer, began to reconstruct my entire face. The job they did was way beyond what I could have expected. The patient care and medical knowledge there is truly the best around. A very late thank you to all of you – Dr. Shafer, Dr. Duncan and everyone else involved.

I just wanted to say how wonderful the staff is. It was my first time in UConn ER, and they helped me and comforted me. I would go to this ER again if I needed too.

I was stunned earlier this year when told I had prostate cancer that needed immediate attention. After carefully considering all my options, I decided to undergo a prostatectomy at John Dempsey Hospital. Peter Albertsen, M.D., performed the surgery and was absolutely outstanding every step of the way. He thoroughly explained what I would be going through in easy-to-understand terms, right down to the smallest of details. I couldn't have been in better hands.

The UConn Procedures Center staff was great on the day of my surgery. Everything took place as scheduled and, sensing a bit of pre-surgery anxiety on my part, the nurses and other caregivers were understanding and comforting. Following the procedure I was taken to the 7th floor where I received exceptionally attentive care. The nurses and aids knew exactly what was needed and when. They were experienced, sensitive, friendly and kind – everything a patient expects. My follow up care with Dr. Albertsen and his staff in the months following the surgery has been equally impressive.

The medical outcome is what I and my family had hoped for (I'm cancer-free!) and I am deeply grateful for the care I received at UConn. What a special place!

In 2009, I returned to the soccer field after having my first child. I was excited to be playing again, but my body wasn't in "soccer shape" yet. During my second game of the season, I pulled my hamstring. I took one week off and got back on the field, eager to keep playing. I didn't give my hamstring enough time to heal. I love the game of soccer and just wanted to be on that field, scoring goals, high-fiving my teammates and having a good time. Unfortunately, I continued playing for the next six months. I must have torn that hamstring over a dozen times.

One night, I was awakened by the pain in my muscle and knew it was time to see an orthopaedic doctor. Knowing UConn Health Center has some of the best, I made an appointment. Physical therapy was prescribed and of course, I went. After taking the spring off, I returned to the field. I only lasted one game. My hamstring couldn't take the change of direction, kicking and sprinting. I was devastated. I returned to UConn and was referred to Dr. Trojian for an experimental treatment called a PRP injection.

Dr. Trojian is awesome. The PRP injection worked. My hamstring has recovered and I am able to play soccer and workout as I had in the past. I am thrilled with the care I received and grateful to Dr. Trojian for his work in helping athletes get back in the game. Thanks to UConn and Dr. Trojian.