‘You make a difference’: Former patient sends message of gratitude to a West Allis mental health technician
07/03/24 12:30:pm
It doesn’t take long to make a lasting impression.
With the memory of a Rogers mental health technician’s first name, hair, and the fact that he liked card games and cartoons, a former patient on the West Allis child and adolescent unit included those details hoping to reach him through our Share Your Rogers Experience form. This is her letter addressed to Andrew:
“To Andrew
Inpatient staff (Adolescent Unit)
Long brown hair with a ponytail
Likes cartoons and card games
I was there May 7-18, 2022
Dear Andrew,
For class, we have to write a letter to someone who impacted us. I know we only met briefly, but the impact you’ve had on my life has surpassed that. I never got to tell you thank you, and I’ve regretted that for a long time. You were the staff member I looked up to, and my motivation for joining a dual enrollment nursing program. You actually sought to understand us. I still remember the first day I came to Rogers. I was scared, and I had just been crying. The 24 hours leading up to it were a mess of regret and remorse, and I wanted nothing more than to go back to pretending I was fine. A nurse dropped me off into the room you and some of the other kids were in, and I didn’t know what to do. I was flustered from having to strip down and show the doctors my scars, and I had just wiped my tears when my mother left me there. You smiled at me and invited me to join your game of ’Once Upon A Time.’ You were patient with me when I said no, and you understood I was still processing everything.
The next day, the kids explained to me that you often brought your own games from home. A couple of times you bought in Fluxx. We kept pulling the cartoon voice card and I managed to win with it.
In truth, you reminded me a lot of my brother. You shared some of his personality and looks, and that brought me some sense of familiarity in a place unrecognizable to me. You made watching the entirety of The Amazing World of Gumball twice a little more joyful. The way you explained the complexity of Steven Universe and made it my favorite cartoon. You didn’t sit on your phone, instead, you engaged in mindless television with us. It made me feel like I could keep rewatching everything, too.
I’ve met a lot of others who went to the same location I did, and most of them remember you. You named one of their stuffed animals Sir Mooington and they cuddle him every night. Whenever someone tells me they’re being sent to Rogers, I tell them to look out for you. Thank you for all that you’ve done and all that you do. I can confidently say that you make a difference, and that you made the darkest part of my life just that little bit brighter.”
With the help of West Allis leadership, the mystery was solved, and Andrew Zuniga, mental health technician, received the message.
“Thank you all very much for making sure I got this,” Andrew says. “I can confirm that this was me. I vividly remember this experience, and it’s so heartwarming to be able to see the impact that we make on our patients. So often, we get to know and bond with patients, but never really get to see the impact we make. I’m just thankful to be able to know the difference that I made, and I’m glad they are still doing well.”
West Allis’ director of Nursing, Sheryl York, shares the patient’s gratitude for Andrew.
“THANK YOU, ANDREW,” Sheryl says. “I’ve noticed on every encounter with you the great care and compassion that you show toward your patients. It’s a pleasure working with you.”
Andrew has worked at Rogers for more than two years and has a passion to work with youth.
“I bounced around a few different jobs but ended up here, and I fell in love with serving our youth in such meaningful ways,” he says. “I always wanted to work with youth because I didn’t have the best childhood, and honestly, it would have helped me to come to a place like Rogers when I was younger. If it hadn’t been for the adults in my life back then, I’m not sure if I would have overcome everything I’ve been through. This is my way of saying thank you to all the people who have helped me and continue to help our youth. One day I would like to get my master’s degree in higher education and work as an admissions counselor at a college. I want to help kids believe in something more and be able to achieve their goals. I want them to be able to see a bigger picture and make what feels like impossible, possible.”
Posted in
Related articles
