Yamira Garcia and her husband, Andrew, with their twins, Isabel and Luna, and Barry Love, MD

Yamira Garcia wanted to keep the birth of her twins, Isabel and Luna, “basic and natural.” However, that was not to be. At 20 weeks, her midwife informed her that her status had become high risk due to a shortened cervix. Yamira sought out the experts at the Mount Sinai Health System because she knew the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) was one of the best and wanted the best possible care for her daughters.

In the 24th week, Yamira had an appointment at The Mount Sinai Hospital with Noel Strong, MD, Assistant Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Science, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. She was admitted the same day, and remained on bedrest in the hospital for the next two weeks before giving birth on December 27, 2020. Her girls would stay in the NICU at Mount Sinai for four months due to the same heart defect, patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), a persistent opening between the two major blood vessels leading from the heart.

Yamira and husband, Andrew, overflow with appreciation and praise for the physicians and nurses who cared for them and their babies from the moment Yamira was admitted, through delivery, and the days the girls were released—Isabel on April 20 and Luna on May 13. “There was incredible support from physicians and nurses, reassuring us about positive outcomes,” Yamira says. “Everyone was super friendly and always forthcoming with information. The night nurses took such good care of me; they often came in just to chat.’’

Andrew is thankful for the care he received as well. “I always felt welcome; I never felt that I was in the way,” he says. “One day I leaned on the emergency call button by accident and a flood of people rushed in. I was mortified. But they just made light of it.”

“Incredibly, even though this was in the middle of a pandemic, the nurses were calm, cool, and collected,” Andrew adds. “They never seemed stressed. We had our fears and anxieties, and their demeanor was a blessing, allowing us to remain hopeful.”

Yamira gives a special shout out to Caroline Keating, RN, primary day nurse for Luna and Isabel in the NICU. “I believe she is the reason they are here today. She knew their personalities. Luna and Isabel had two surgeries and several infections, but Caroline pushed them. It was as if she was motivating them to get well. And Caroline and the other nurses, especially our night nurse, Lisa Noel, RN, were always worried about our well-being. They wanted us take a break and go out on a date!”

Lastly, they have heartfelt words of thanks for Barry Love, MD, Assistant Professor in the Division of Cardiology in the Jack and Lucy Clark Department of Pediatrics at Icahn Mount Sinai, and Director of the Congenital Cardiac Catheterization Program at the Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Heart Center, and Jennifer Bragg, MD, Assistant Professor in the Jack and Lucy Clark Department of Pediatrics at Icahn Mount Sinai, and Director of the NICU Follow-Up Clinic at Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital.

“Dr. Bragg assisted us during both the girls’ procedures and during their infections. She was such a great help during the harder times,” Yamira says. “Dr. Love always treated us as partners. He never talked at us; at no point did we not understand the next step. We were asked about our concerns; we felt like partners.”
Andrew adds, “In a way, we had no choice but to move forward, but we always felt the decisions made were the best ones. And that is the case; our daughters just turned 5 months old, and they are great.”

Jackie Craig, MPS, LCAT, with Moby

Jackie Craig, MPS, LCAT, a licensed creative arts therapist in the Child Life and Creative Arts Therapy Department, doesn’t have to say a word to bring comfort to patients and staff.  That is because Jackie is the handler for Moby, a facility dog who has been an employee at the Mount Sinai Health System for two years. Not only does Moby help to normalize hospital life for patients and their families, he also is a source of support and renewal for hospital staff.

During the height of the COVID pandemic, there were no work-from-home days for Moby and Jackie. They were in the hospitals every day, even if it meant visits were virtual from the hallways, bringing smiles to weary staff on some of their most heart-wrenching shifts.

“A five-minute interaction with Moby can change someone’s day,” Jackie says. “I saw first-hand that when staff had an opportunity to pet and hug Moby, the atmosphere lifted. They were able to breathe.” Jackie is unequivocal when speaking about how important her role is to her. “My job means the world to me,” she says.  “To be able to give back and meet the needs of staff is an invaluable position.”

Business Associate Nekeisha Lynn, left, and Operations Manager Monica Keith

Patient John de Clef Piñeiro sent the following letter thanking Business associate Nekeisha Lynn at Mount Sinai Morningside:

On April 23, I suffered a fractured humerus of my nondominant arm that left me temporarily disabled, weak, and in excruciating pain. EMT delivered me to your Emergency Department’s trauma unit, where I was attended to by Joshua McHugh, MD, and Rishi Malik, MD, at Mount Sinai Morningside. When I was discharged later that same day, in a weakened state, in pain, and with my arm in a sling, I needed to reserve a car service to take me home, so I went to your ED dispatcher’s office to solicit assistance in contacting a car service.

Business associate Nekeisha Lynn tried several times to reserve a car for me. Because I only had cash, she was not able to make the reservation with a credit card. Although she received a food delivery while I waited, she offered, without any prompting, to accompany me to the corner to see if we could hail a livery car or taxi. She hailed a couple of vehicles that for one reason or another would not take me. We crossed the avenue together, and she tried catching a vehicle in the opposite direction. We again crossed the avenue to try to catch another vehicle. All of this took some time and several stoplight changes.

Without a word of complaint or exasperation and with an upbeat spirit, she continued hailing vehicles, like someone on a mission, until she succeeded in helping me catch a ride.

Heartened by her efforts and spirit, and despite my impaired painful state, I asked for her name and told her that I would write a letter of commendation about her selfless, outstanding efforts on my behalf.

As the former (now retired) First Deputy General Counsel of the New York City Housing Authority for many years, I was in the position of hiring, training, supervising, and evaluating numerous professional and support staff members over the years. So, in my professional experience, I must report that Ms. Lynn manifested such an outstanding mindset of compassion and professional service, putting aside her own convenience, to provide someone in need with effective support and assistance in being able to get home safely. Such a mindset is unusual and speaks to the individual and her personal standard for what constitutes doing one’s job and going above and beyond.

Yours sincerely,

John de Clef Piñeiro, Esq.

Dave “Elvis” Reynolds, center, with Richard Rosen, MD, left, the Belinda Bingham Pierce and Gerald G. Pierce, MD, Distinguished Chair of Ophthalmology, and Vincent Sun, MD

Patient Dave “Elvis” Reynolds sent the following letter thanking the team at New York Eye and Ear Infirmary at Mount Sinai for restoring his vision:

Let me begin by saying I am not a medically oriented person. At 65 years of age, I do not know my blood type. Even as a two-pack-a-day smoker since the age of 15, by the grace of God, I’ve been medically fortunate. However, earlier this year I had my day of reckoning. Suddenly I had difficulty seeing out of my right eye. Like everything else in my medical life, I thought it would clear up on its own. I wasn’t so lucky. I lost 95 percent of my sight in that eye. I contacted my “goddess” of Emblem Health representatives, Vivian Martinez, who guided me to Eye Specialists of Westchester, where I met Aaron Cohen, MD, “Bones”, who convinced me that I immediately go to his alma matter, the “Enterprise” of all eye facilities, the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary at Mount Sinai.

This is where I met the incredibly cool Vincent Sun, MD (“Spock”). It’s an understatement to say it was a life-changing experience for me. A 33-year-old with the technique, expertise, and bedside manner of a 63-year-old! If it wasn’t for Dr. Cohen “Bones” and Dr. Sun “Spock”, I would have never met Richard Rosen, MD, “Captain Kirk”, one of this country’s “gurus” of retinal surgeons. I am beyond grateful to three wise men, along with so many other medical professionals, examiners, nurses, and general staff too many to name specifically.

I would be remiss if I didn’t give a shout out to the talented and personable Julia Fallon, MD, who I’ll dub “Uhura”. She tested, guided, and supported me, and gained my confidence upon introducing me to the amazing Dr. Sun. All of these incredible people, as well as my wife, Rena, and cousin John, accompanied me through every minute of all eight of our visits. One and all got me through my first medical crisis—a 45-minute eye surgery, appropriately on St. Patrick’s Day, as I’m Irish. Within one week of my ordeal, Dr. Rosen’s magic hands worked yet another miracle to his long and astounding resume: I can see! I now have 20/30 vision.

Two months later, I’m very happy to report to the “Bridge,” and all systems are a go! Thank God for “Captain Kirk”, “Spock” and “Bones”—Dr. Rosen, Dr. Sun, and Dr. Cohen—for whom I’m forever in debt. May you all live long and prosper! I would like to conclude with a special mention to my doctor and friend, Dr. Vincent “Spock” Sun. Dr. Sun graduates this June, and his residency will come to an end. The institution will unfortunately lose one of their best, as he’ll be returning to his family in Canada to further work his magic and continue to do great things for O Canada. Congrats, Doc! You’ve earned and deserve it. It’s been a humbling experience and my pleasure in meeting you in my lifetime. I wish you and yours all the very best!

Sincerely and gratefully to you all,

Dave “Elvis” Reynolds