Andrew Walter of Maryland shares how Northside staff demonstrated true compassion during an emergency far from home.
My name is Andrew Walter, and I am from Maryland. On February 29, 2024, I traveled to Atlanta with my poodle, Protein, to purchase a motorhome. While at the motorhome dealership, I started experiencing chest discomfort. After purchasing the motorhome, I drove it to the Northside Duluth emergency room. I parked my motorhome in the dirt lot across the street and walked over to the ER, leaving Protein inside the motorhome with the HVAC system set to keep him comfortable.
Upon entering the ER, the staff took me to the back and hooked me up to heart monitors. I found out I was experiencing a myocardial infarction or in layman’s terms a heart attack. Stunned by the diagnosis, I immediately thought about my dog and what would happen to him since I wouldn’t be able to leave the ER anytime soon. I mentioned to the nurses working on me that I had a dog in an RV across the street and that my keys were in my pocket if I didn't make it. I didn’t know anyone in Georgia, so I asked them to care for him.
Upon hearing this, the nurses discussed what to do, and one of them, a male nurse whose name I didn’t catch, took my keys and retrieved Protein from my parked motorhome, bringing him into the ER to be with me.
I needed to be transferred to Northside Gwinnett in Lawrenceville because the required procedure couldn’t be performed at Duluth. This news added more stress as I worried about Protein’s well-being. The nurses huddled again to figure out what to do. Bianca Reed, a nurse in the ER, volunteered to take my dog to her home while I was treated. Knowing my canine companion would be safe relieved an immense amount of stress.
I was transported by ambulance to have my heart procedure performed, and I was placed in the ICU for recovery. The following day, I received a reassuring text from Bianca saying that Protein was okay and getting along great with her dogs. She even sent me some pictures, which calmed my anxiety and concern for his safety. I stayed in recovery for four days. and Each day, Bianca checked in on me, reassuring me that Protein was doing well. When I was released, Bianca, her husband and their children drove to the location where my motorhome was parked across from Duluth and returned Protein to me.
While the entire nursing staff at both Duluth and Gwinnett took excellent care of me, Bianca went above and beyond her call of duty. She recognized how distressing it was for me to be away from home during this heart episode and the uncertainty about what would happen to my dog. While in recovery, I told one of the nurses how exceptional Bianca was, sacrificing some of her family’s time for a stranger. She didn’t have to do that. Seeing that there are still good people in the world restored my faith in humanity.
