This is to express my deepest gratitude for the empathy and detailed care I received by Karen Lebovitz prior to and in the operating room for my surgery. I was nearly shaking from fear until Karen came around the corner of that curtain, sat down on my bedside and reassured me I would be taken care of by herself and a team of highly skilled professionals. I am able to tell when someone's confidence comes from their knowledge and experience and when I can trust that person or not. My stress level was lowered just due to my conversation with Karen. That is truly a gift that should not be overlooked. It was obvious that she earned that confidence with extensive training and experience, but her positive attitude and friendly approach really speaks volumes about her and I cannot tell you how valuable it is to the patient. Karen went above and beyond for me as well. I had placed a request weeks prior to my surgery for a private room. I was told in admitting that morning I was scheduled to go home that day which was surprising for a colectomy and what had been explained to me prior to the surgery date. She was able to contact the hospital supervisor for me and straighten that stressful situation out. When I arrived in the OR, she was there and I leaned on her during the procedure and felt like I was being taken care of by a family member! I hope Kaiser understands how important she is to your entire organization and how much a patient needs Karen as their advocate during a stressful time such as surgery.