I was admitted with an AML relapse that also included a 10cm brain tumor and cancerous areas in my spleen, pancreas, and spine. The brain tumor made word finding difficult and very frustrating.
As a single mother of an almost seven-year-old, being in the hospital was at baseline stressful and emotional. Kristina was a calming voice.
One night while in pain and upset, I was having a hard time word finding to explain my symptoms and needs. In that time, many tried to help, but the more they tried to guess, the more confused I became. Kristina was the nurse who finally went quiet and simply allowed me time to find the correct words.
Further in my admission, with no white count, I sat in the imaging hall with many sick individuals. On returning to the unit, all I wanted was a shower in case I had infectious material on my body or outfit. Despite being very busy that day, Kristina made that shower happen because she understood.
Kristina also regularly orders the Caring for a Cure snacks on the unit. She made it a point to stop and ask me what type I would like.
Lastly, for over 6 years, I occasionally have felt negatively judged when asking for pain meds. Kristina never once made me feel judged. She listened and provided pain orders based on my needs.
Kristina's approach, calm demeanor, professionalism, upbeat personality and patient-centered practice has made her one of the best nurses to ever care for me. She is absolutely extraordinary and should be recognized.