Maria Vargas

After returning home from a family vacation, Maria Vargas noticed a nagging discomfort in her left shoulder. Attributing it to the normal aches and pains of aging, she went about her day-to-day life as a registered nurse for an insurance company. A few days later, while getting ready for work one morning, Maria found herself short of breath. Concerned, her husband helped her to the car and drove to Poinciana Hospital.

“Once I was admitted, the hospital staff acted quickly, running tests to determine my left lung was filled with fluid.” After draining it, her medical team provided attentive care throughout a ten-day stay in the ICU. “In addition to doing all they could to prevent an unnecessary surgery, my doctor and nurses sat by my side, comforting me and even calling to see how I was doing on their days off.”

Today, Maria’s health has been restored and she’s back to enjoying her travels and fulfilling job. She credits the team at Poinciana Hospital (her “angels” as she calls them) for all the love and compassion they showed her while she was hospitalized. “Every hospital staff member I encountered truly cares about others. They say nursing professionals can be the worst patients, but this process has made me a stronger person and a better practitioner. I’ll be forever grateful.”