I had just been discharged from a different hospital when my pain began. I had no idea what to expect. Rehab was hard for me because my pain was the worst and I have had pancreatitis at least 5 times. My mom was not able to stay during the week. On top of all this, I had to worry about college and making sure I would graduate high school. Beth helped me through it all. When I was mad or upset that my mom could not stay, Beth always took the time to let me open up. She also sat with me until I fell asleep because I was scared that I would choke because of my reflux. When I was worried that I was not going to graduate, she reassured me and gave me advice.
One incident made her extraordinary. During that particular day, I had let many people upset me without their knowledge. I never said anything and I bottled up my feelings for the most part. I cried a little during the day, but I never talked about it. Beth asked me how my day was going and I told her how everyone mentioned handling pain or using assistive devices during college. It really upset me because I did not want to be visibly different again and I was scared. I was not going to be able to be a nurse or a doctor. Beth told me that there are many people in the medical field with visible disabilities. She helped me remember my pain might not last forever and to keep going because I am strong. On top of all this, Beth connected to me on a different level. We talked about jobs and all things 'high school'. She made me feel so comfortable and happy that I got excited to show her my senior portraits. Beth was definitely more than a nurse.