When I first met Casey, I could feel the weight of all the unknowns release. She asked my name preference, and if she could listen to my heart and discussed the importance of communicating about pain. I will never forget this moment during my recovery. My body had just undergone a trauma.

I felt numerous emotions. I was scared; I wondered if my body would recover; I felt vulnerable and was met by unfamiliar surroundings away from the comforts of home. I'll never forget her words, ‘I don't want you in any more pain. Please, please reach out before you feel your pain is getting worse. I want you to be comfortable.’

In the early morning, I had some difficulty with a surgical side effect. When I had to go to the bathroom, Casey stood right by the door, providing privacy, and checked in on me frequently. At first, I wasn't sure if she knew that I felt my weakest at that moment, but I quickly found out that she did. She helped me back to my room, tying my gown back up, saying, ‘Everything will be okay.’

In the limited interactions we had overnight, Casey had an everlasting effect on my recovery. I will forever carry a piece of her with me as I continue to recover in my health journey. Casey, thank you for holding space for my recovery with your exemplary kindness, thoughtfulness, empathy, and trauma-informed approach to care.