At the beginning of the summer, I had the scare of my life. My son collapsed suddenly and was on life support. When I first arrived at the unit, I was met by a little spitfire who was the charge nurse that night. Kanika explained his condition and possible treatment options to me. Although that night was a blur, I remember her saying that she would like to give him the best chance possible and try cooling him to help his brain recover. She talked to the doctors and got the ball rolling to start therapy as soon as possible.
After the first night, Kanika said she was off for a few days, but she ended up coming back the next two nights to help out because the unit was busy. I watched her bounce from room to room to help everyone out. She really seems to lift everyone's spirits around her. I couldn't help but notice how energetic, knowledgeable, funny, and caring she is. I really appreciated how involved she was in his care even though she was not his main nurse. She always seemed to pop up at just the right time with coffee, a pillow, a blanket, or just kind words of encouragement.
All of the nurses and doctors were amazing, but Kanika really stood out in my mind. I still can't believe she hasn't been a nurse for even 4 years! I just wanted to let her know that she made a difference. I hope she goes to get her advanced degree because it will be a waste if she doesn't. Most importantly, I hope she takes some time off when it slows down to rest.