My husband, B, was a retired physician. He was transferring to Fremont Methodist due to the fact there were no beds at Methodist Omaha. My husband had COVID-19/Alzheimer's. Kaylie was my husband's nurse during many shifts for a total of fifteen days and nights. The nurses were having a hard time getting B to eat. My husband was a very picky eater. Kaylie had talked to my son and he gave her a list of different foods that B might eat. She was excited to try many different combinations of food and was able to get him to eat for several days.
Kaylie was able to get him to eat even though he was confused. Then he didn't feel like eating and Kaylie went over and above to try to get him to eat and drink. When B didn't feel like eating she would go into his room and sit there and encourage him to eat explaining to him that he needed to eat because it would make him start to feel better.
Unfortunately, for me I wasn't ten days post COVID-19 symptom-free, so I wasn't able to go up and see him the first day he was admitted. Kaylie understood that and took such good care of him. Kaylie was one of the most gentle and compassionate and determined nurses that I had seen in a long while. She was so caring I was amazed. I for one have no idea how all the nurses and doctors do what they do in this horrible pandemic let alone during normal (whatever normal is) time. They seem to try to keep a smile on their faces no matter how exhausted they all must be.
Kaylie tried so very hard to get my husband off heated high oxygen. I remember when his number got down to 60% and she was so excited but, his numbers didn't hold, and quickly he needed to be back to 100%. Kaylie was so respectful with B and called him Dr. B as did his physician. Again I was amazed at that gesture also.
Kaylie also put up with the many phone calls from myself and my son. She kept us up to date. She treated us like my husband was her only patient when talking to us. I know that she had another patient or maybe two that were just as sick as my husband.
On the last day of my husband's life, I was up visiting with him as I had done every day but, this day seemed different than all the other days. My husband knew he wasn't going to make it. After I had got to the hospital Kaylie had told me that B had called for pain medication morphine and Ativan. B needed pain medication because of not being able to breathe very well. By the time I had gotten to the hospital, she had given him the cocktail of morphine/Ativan. He was asking for medication about every hour. Kaylie was so sweet to me and said she understood why I needed to leave and comforted me. She said she was going to stay with him. I drove numbly home before receiving a call from Kaylie saying B was slipping fast and if anyone wanted to see him should come fast.
No longer than one hour of leaving the hospital Kaylie called me and said B had passed and that she was there with him the whole time. Kaylie assured me that he had a peaceful passing. Kaylie explained and apologized for all the medication she was giving him but wanted him not to be anxious. Kaylie is definitely one of the most honest, compassionate, caring individuals that I have ever seen in the years. I'm still amazed at how she cared for my husband.