Recently my father was a patient at Tucson Medical Center after suffering a severe stroke. He was unable to speak and became extremely frustrated trying to communicate with staff members and family. Several times during his time on the unit he tried to climb out of bed, thinking he was at home. My mother wanted to be with him and we were concerned due to her health and limited mobility.

While we at the hospital visiting my father, he was assigned Kathryn Teyechea who turned our life around. She came into the room and introduced herself, not only to my father, but to each of us. Kathryn started each shift explaining everything, what the plan for the day was, not only with him, but with the family as well. We were amazed how quickly she developed a way to communicate with him; she just asked a lot of yes and no questions, which put a smile on his face. It appeared he had a sense of relief that someone understood him.

She spoke to each member of the family, but what impressed us most was the way she explained topics to my mother. She explained things to our mother in such a way; one would have thought my mother was the patient. She acknowledged how upsetting the situation must be to her. Not only did she explain the plan for the day, but she also informed us about all the different doctors. She took the time to not only explain who the doctors were, but what their specialties were and why they were involved.

She not only gave us a booklet with information on strokes, but also explained where his stroke occurred in his brain and how it affected different parts of his body. By providing us education and taking the time to inform us we understood why he was having trouble speaking. That book was so helpful to us, when we would notice something different we were able to use the book and understand that what we anxious about was typical for his type of stroke.

Kathryn not only cared for our father, but showed caring and compassion for our mother. It was the simple little things she did that made my mother feel like a queen and that she was part of his recovery as well. She got my mother a reclining chair and ordered her meals so she could still have meals with our father. Of all the instances I noticed this nurse caring for both my mother and father, there is one that sticks out the most. The nurse noticed one day that my mother's feet were swollen, and she insisted that she recline in the chair, get her feet up-reminding her that her health was just as important as our father's.

My father spent several days in the hospital and whenever Kathryn was on duty she was assigned to care for my father. She was professional, passionate, and extremely patient; especially with me since I asked so many questions.

She was just wonderful, she spent time talking to us, and was always there for us. I truly feel that we would not be where we are today without her. She should be cloned so every patient and family receives the excellent care we did. She stated to us early in his hospitalization that her job is not just to care of the patient, but the family too. This in our opinion is why she deserves a DAISY Award, as she is an extraordinary nurse.