September 2021 Honoree
Ihra Aquino, RN
I am one birthday away from 80, with Parkinson's Disease along with a variety of complications. Inevitability, that means at least a couple of stays in the hospital every year. They are never pleasant except this month when I was under the care of Ihra. It was a difficult time for me. I was pretty banged up, the result of blacking out and hitting the floor hard. Complicating matters, the combination of drugs prescribed by several different doctors was causing me to have a seemingly unending stream of hallucinations, some quite frightening.
Nurse Ihra, in understandable lay terms, explained the what, how, and why of what was going on, along with the treatment I was receiving and what to expect. In fact, before I took a closer look at her badge, I assumed she was my doctor. Her demeanor and patience made all the difference. I have some genital deformities which cause me to dread going to the hospital. Not this time; Ihra, through word and deed, demonstrated I had nothing to be embarrassed about. It is now exactly one week since my discharge (technically, my transfer to a skilled nursing facility), long enough to know that this extraordinary clinician gave me the blessing of a life-changing sense of worth. She is a rare orchid.
Nurse Ihra, in understandable lay terms, explained the what, how, and why of what was going on, along with the treatment I was receiving and what to expect. In fact, before I took a closer look at her badge, I assumed she was my doctor. Her demeanor and patience made all the difference. I have some genital deformities which cause me to dread going to the hospital. Not this time; Ihra, through word and deed, demonstrated I had nothing to be embarrassed about. It is now exactly one week since my discharge (technically, my transfer to a skilled nursing facility), long enough to know that this extraordinary clinician gave me the blessing of a life-changing sense of worth. She is a rare orchid.
Thank you, Ihra, for your exceptional compassion, advocacy, and dedication to your patients. You truly make a difference.
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