I have a rare illness that is often overlooked and on many occasions, has also been believed to "not be a real physical health concern" but on the contrary thought to be "a mental health concern" based on a self fulfillment philosophy; knowing the latter of this to not be true at all, sometimes, a lot of the time (it) creates tension between myself and medical providers, and I'm always on the defense. Ready to justify, protect, and advocate for myself and against the negative, misleading and incorrect documentation about my illness on my chart. There are times saying "I have my guard up" is an understatement, and the feeling of "here we go again" commences.

Nelly made these thoughts instantly fade away! Nelly created a safe space. The concerns of if I would be heard and acknowledged speaking up in regards to my health concerns and worries were taken seriously. It allowed me to "simply be the patient". Nelly didn't just validate who I am as a person, she also chose to listen to me and to also just look at what my medical records say and make her own assessment of who I am. Nelly is such a gentle and calm person. She is the example of how healthcare should work as one. One with others, sharing the same goals to get to the same conclusion, patients receiving care needed, compassion for their battles, and communication to hear I have been acknowledged. Nurses like Nelly make battles I face daily with many difficult and hard challenges, worth it! And a cake walk because of the support that comes along the way to face adversity. She is there for me to advocate, teach, and to help open doors to care I was unable to do alone.