I came onto this floor after a long and very unexpected turn of events, taking me from women's health through several emergency surgeries to the ICU, all before settling here to recover. I had several issues while on the floor and found myself more than once thinking I wished I wasn't here. Then, along came Kaylee.

She was my nurse for 3 straight day shifts. She was immediately very kind and worked so hard, but what really stood out was the last day she was here. I had reached my breaking point mentally with the pain, long term outlook, trying to take it a day at a time, how I was feeling, etc. I was finding it hard to explain what exactly the issue was I was having. She was so busy, but she sat on the bed, looked eye to eye with me, and asked me questions to better understand. She went through all the little, and big, improvements I'd already made. She went and got a provider, and they both came back in to talk me through test results and why certain things were happening. They asked me questions about my life, including my dogs, who were in a picture my husband had brought in, and I miss terribly. We went through so many options of the best ways to help me physically but, so much more importantly, how to help me mentally in that moment. She hugged me and told me that it's ok to cry and sometimes that's what needs to be done so we can move forward. She gave me the motivation to push through the rest of that day. I am still here as of right now but hoping to be discharged in the next day or so.

I knew this would have been her last shift (most likely) while I was here, and I was immediately sad to see her go. She deserves so much recognition for what she did, and I can't even do it justice here. Despite working in healthcare my whole life and currently working for BJC patient experience, the moments she spent with me will long be some of the most impactful and humane moments I've ever witnessed, let alone been a part of, in medicine.