Lachria was a beautiful angel who touched every person who had the honor to encounter her. Not only was she a friend, but a mentor, a sister, and a loving soul who beamed with sunshine when she walked in the room. As we approach the one year mark of her passing, there is not a day that goes by that Lachria makes her presence on the unit. Whether it be a hug shared by staff to a patient (which she loved to do), a joke, a caring remark, or a listening ear who always had the best advice. Lachria could have invented the 10/5 rule as everyone who walked by was greeted with a huge smile, warm eyes, and a beautiful compliment that made you feel good about yourself. Lachria deserves The DAISY Award more than anyone I have ever known and unfortunately, she won't be here to receive it in person, but a little piece of her is within all of us.
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When I was a brand new nurse, Lachria was my guardian angel. Watching her and working with her taught me more than I ever learned in nursing school. She was caring and compassionate, gentle, and kind. I have never met anyone in my life like Lachria - she was the most sincere person I have ever known. She would do anything for anyone. Lachria was my friend, a great nurse, and an amazing person.
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It is now one year since the tragic loss of our most compassionate, caring, loving, strong nurse and friend. Everyday Lachria came to work and made a difference in the lives of all the staff, families, and patients. We miss her everyday. Her smile, her compliments, her laugh.
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Although Lachria passed away a year ago she continues to have a great positive influence on patient care on her unit. She was sunshine in human form and every patient loved her. She treated every patient on the unit as if they were her own family even if they were not her assigned patient. To this day, nurses on the unit quote her saying, "they are all our patients". She was quick to help anyone in need of her assistance whether they were staff, patients, or family members. She would forgo her breaks in order to listen to patients or to comfort families in crisis. She always knew the right words to say to bring peace to a grieving family and could encourage even the most depressed patients. She brought smiles to faces and made every nurse, aide, and doctor she worked with want to be better at their job. I answered the phone at our unit's main desk at Christmas time this past holiday season and the caller was a former patient of Lachria's who wanted to wish her a happy new year and was unaware she had passed. Lachria touched so many lives and although she is not here to accept the award she deserves to be recognized.
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Lachria was the best nurse. You would start to ask her for help and before you could finish asking she would cut you off and say, "whatever you need baby, let's go" no matter how busy she was or what it was you actually needed. She genuinely loved her patients, her job, and her coworkers.