Alejandra Echavarria, RN

Alejandra was my nurse when I was admitted for my eye being completely sealed shut overnight. I was on intense antibiotics and antiviral fluids in the isolation unit. All through the day she was very efficient, professional but friendly and helped put me at ease. It was also hard to put the drops in my eye but she succeeded each time.

It was known that when my eyelids did eventually open I could have vision problems. Throughout the day she brought me warm towels and ice to put over my eye which was not required of her. She is just really thoughtful and checked on me often.

Well, later in the day my eye did open some but all I could see was black. I was so distraught I unplugged my IV machine and rushed to the nursing station and asked for a surgeon because I was so upset. I met with the surgeon who told me I would be blind in that eye.

So I went back up to nursing station and asked if I could get my cell phone that she was charging for me because I didn’t have one. I went back to my room visibly shaken. She came in behind me with my meds and stood and talked with me in her kind and gentle way. She continued to come in and check on me.

When her shift was coming to an end, she came In and told me to stay strong and continue to be the person I am. So she left, and about an hour later, knocked on the door and came in with flowers and a stuffed animal scented in calming lavender, and a USB charger for my phone and laptop to charge in my room because she knows I did not have one.

I literally cried and it brought life and belief that there are amazing people in life. She went to Walmart and couldn’t find what she was looking for so she returned to the hospital and got these items from the gift shop.

I will never forget her for this amazing act of kindness on such a terrible day. I charged my phone to further talk with my family and sure did sleep with the lavender-scented stuffed animal, at 50, haha!