Karina Bustillo Palma - Oncology Nurse My life changed drastically in March of 2023 when my husband, R, was diagnosed with bladder cancer. Living through the diagnosis and the treatments meant any day, he could be gone from my life. I dedicated myself to knowing everything I could to be the best wife nurse for him. We started with two Baton Rouge facilities instead of seeking local options. He had numerous surgeries, procedures, treatments, and medications, plus ALL of the informed complications from them, requiring many long hospital stays. We thought we were making the best choice. We decided to return to the Northshore after six months of ineffective and very poor nursing staffs in Baton Rouge hospitals. We returned home to the Northshore in October with admittance in care with a doctor at MDA/St. Tammany Cancer Center. Soon after he was hospitalized at St. Tammany, with many more to come, during that time the oncology floor nursing team became like family. All of the staff are to be commended for their excellent and compassionate care. I am going to single out Karina Bustillo Palma as the crown jewel of the team.

Our last stay at St. Tammany was 32 days long. Karina’s first few assignments to nurse my husband were professional but not as personable as the others. I asked lots of questions for answers from everyone: doctors, nurses, and even the CNAs. She would answer, but she was all business. Her dedication to her job was amazing and swift. Over a weeks time I started to see my own personality mirrored in her….ALWAYS ask too many questions and NEVER give up until the job is done. She always added a couple of hours to her shift because of how much care she was giving her patients to complete the charts required for the incoming team. She has taken on the role of oncology with chemo treatment facilities nursing, St. Tammany oncology, and personally taken on a sick baby outside of work to keep him from foster care. We both admitted our mutual skepticism that first week with respect and genuine caring connections, which will never be forgotten. Karina was with us when we moved to inpatient hospice. R was medicated to give his body ease of dying. His state of awareness was only evident if he was spoken to loudly. When Karina and the CNA would walk in the door and speak to him he would smile and nod.

Those last days of his life ending were the some of the hardest I have ever lived through and continue with deep sorrow. Karina could not be with us on the last day as she had a personal matter at home to attend. She called that day with a message informing us she was still praying for us. I received great comfort from the entire staff with consolation, hugs, and information. Karina was my rock in the worst storm of my life. Please consider her for The DAISY Award, as she blooms every day with care and compassion.