Dr. Ryan Brennan, Clinic Physician, Office Neurosurgery, received a Who’s Your Angel nomination from patient Megan Wendling. The Foundation Office presented the Who’s Your Angel award on April 30.
Megan stated, “For over a year I was having back pain that progressively got worse. I was referred to physical therapy for months. Nothing was working. I eventually had an MRI done in November and it showed I had a herniated disc. I was referred to the spine clinic/neurosurgery to Alexis Schantz, NP, and agreed to do an ESI (epidural steroid injection) which worked and took my pain away. Unfortunately, it only took my pain away for about four weeks. After the four weeks the pain came back, it hit me hard and each day I got worse. I couldn’t stand up straight and couldn’t sit. My left leg from the calf down to the bottom of my foot was completely numb. I did another MRI and saw Dr. Brennan the same day. It was on a Monday. He looked me in my eyes and said he knew I was in a lot of pain and no matter what, he promised to make me feel better. I went into his office and he showed me how severe my herniated disc was. He called the operating room while I was sitting right in front of him and he scheduled my surgery the same week. I have never felt so heard. He looked at me and knew it couldn’t wait. He didn’t waste any time. On the day of my surgery I was nervous. They brought me up from the Patient Access Department and as we came around the corner the nurse said, “Dr. Brennan beat you to the room”, he was already there waiting for me. He told me that we will go into the operating room and he will treat me like I am his family. It was a long and difficult surgery, but I wouldn’t have known, because he and his team in the operating room, took the most amazing care of me. Today as I write this, I am two weeks post op from my spine surgery. I feel great. I can walk again and I am healing perfectly. Dr. Brennan goes above and beyond. He is so deserving of any recognition and award out there. I feel forever grateful to have been referred to him as my surgeon.”
The “Who’s Your Angel” program is an opportunity for patients and their families to express their appreciation to anyone in the Health System who had a positive influence in their healthcare experience. When the donor makes a financial gift of any size in the name of the employee and writes up a story sharing the experience, the Foundation deposits the gift to the patient care area or restricted fund that most closely matches the employee(s) being honored or the reason for the patient’s time with the Health System. This donation was deposited to the Surgical Services Fund. One hundred percent of Foundation gifts are designated to caring for patients in need.
Any staff member can be nominated for a Who’s Your Angel award, and nomination forms can be found in a surplus of Health System departments from Palmyra to Hannibal, Pittsfield, to Golden and more! For more information regarding the “Who’s Your Angel” program, or giving of any kind to Blessing Health System, contact the Blessing Foundation at 217-223-8400, Ext. 4800, or go online to blessinghealth.org/angel