Upon moving to North Carolina from another state, I was quite worried about finding a medical professional who would not only understand the variety of my conditions but also one whom I would feel safe in order to confide in and trust in my treatment of care. When I met nurse Michelle, all my fears disappeared, and I knew that I was going to be ok. She went beyond in her efforts. More than any practitioner has ever done. She was compassionate and understanding and very knowledgeable in her field. She was caring and understanding, and expressed her knowledge of all the feelings that I was going through. She educated me at length and helped me to make my own decisions and to be part of my care plan, empowering me to advocate for myself and my conditions.  She supported my decisions without any pressure and advised me of all the options available that were applicable. She listened attentively, she showed empathy and compassion beyond any professional I had ever met. She strongly advocated and assured me that she was on my team and that she would work diligently to find an answer that would meet all my requirements. She helped me understand all my options with a compassionate and loving heart. She communicated and responded quickly and acted promptly in all situations that needed immediate care without dismissing anything. There is not enough that I can say about Michelle Rakes. She has gone beyond the call of nursing duty. She saved my life, and for her, I will eternally be thankful. I thank you for this opportunity to share my experience. Thank you for having such an incredible nurse practitioner on your staff. She is a gift, and I am so thankful to nominate her and to share how incredible she is as a person and a nurse practitioner. Cone is very fortunate to have her on staff, as I am sure she is very happy to be an employee for such a great company. Nurses are trained to a certain standard; Michelle was trained to a higher one and with a heart for a desperate field. I am so thankful I was able to find her to give me another chance at life. God bless all your staff and God bless Michelle.