Aliza Y Larsen
March 2025
Aliza Y
Larsen
,
RN
Surgical Observation Unit
UNC Hospitals
Chapel Hill
,
NC
United States
Aliza was the first nurse assigned to me since I came out of surgery, and I knew immediately that I would like her.
I am a 28-year-old woman who was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer about 3 months ago. This diagnosis has obviously rocked my world in the worst way. I have constantly been an emotional wreck this whole time. As I am writing this, it is Wednesday, and I am checking out to go home finally. I have been here since Thursday.
What brought me here was a bowel obstruction, which led to emergency surgery where I had to have a colostomy bag installed on my body. As you can imagine, this is a jarring change to my life. Since getting this bag installed on early Saturday morning, I have been suffering from frequent panic attacks and depression that just drowns me. Hospitals have always freaked me out, and this is the first time I have had major surgery and had to have an extended hospital stay.
Aliza was the first nurse assigned to me since I came out of surgery, and I knew immediately that I would like her. Since then, she has been my nurse for several days. Over those days, she has been a bright star in the darkest time I have ever experienced. Having this bag has been a huge adjustment for me, and I am having trouble getting used to it. Every single day, Aliza has been by my side with a bright, beautiful smile and the kindest of words.
After a particularly dark time, the day after my surgery, I was having problems with my ostomy bag leaking, and I was feeling incredibly depressed and hopeless. I have not been sleeping while here, so I am up all night and awake for the shift change in the mornings. The morning shift change from Sunday to Monday happened, and I saw her sweet face pop through my door to say hello and let me know she was going to be my nurse for the day (Sunday was the only day she wasn't with me). She came in and asked me how I was, and I told her I had a rough day the day before but that I was happy to see her. After explaining to her what happened the day before, she gave me the most genuine, reassuring, and kind pep talk. There was nothing I needed more in that moment than the words she was saying to me. She has been my nurse ever since that day and has constantly helped with whatever I need. She has been so beyond kind to both me and the army of family I have constantly had around me.
She has such a kind soul, and I can tell that she truly cares about the job she is doing. My hospital stay after this life-changing surgery would have been much harder, if not impossible, for me to get through mentally and emotionally, if she had not been by my side, encouraging me the entire time. She has been the biggest cheerleader and rock to lean on and confide in. And the few times I have witnessed her around other patients, she is the same way. After the first day of her being my nurse, I noticed the sign for this award in my room and immediately knew that she deserved it. She is a ray of sunshine and truly goes above and beyond to make sure her patients are comfortable (mentally and physically). She does whatever she can to help, and she was always so knowledgeable and helpful with whatever questions we've had. Thank you.
What brought me here was a bowel obstruction, which led to emergency surgery where I had to have a colostomy bag installed on my body. As you can imagine, this is a jarring change to my life. Since getting this bag installed on early Saturday morning, I have been suffering from frequent panic attacks and depression that just drowns me. Hospitals have always freaked me out, and this is the first time I have had major surgery and had to have an extended hospital stay.
Aliza was the first nurse assigned to me since I came out of surgery, and I knew immediately that I would like her. Since then, she has been my nurse for several days. Over those days, she has been a bright star in the darkest time I have ever experienced. Having this bag has been a huge adjustment for me, and I am having trouble getting used to it. Every single day, Aliza has been by my side with a bright, beautiful smile and the kindest of words.
After a particularly dark time, the day after my surgery, I was having problems with my ostomy bag leaking, and I was feeling incredibly depressed and hopeless. I have not been sleeping while here, so I am up all night and awake for the shift change in the mornings. The morning shift change from Sunday to Monday happened, and I saw her sweet face pop through my door to say hello and let me know she was going to be my nurse for the day (Sunday was the only day she wasn't with me). She came in and asked me how I was, and I told her I had a rough day the day before but that I was happy to see her. After explaining to her what happened the day before, she gave me the most genuine, reassuring, and kind pep talk. There was nothing I needed more in that moment than the words she was saying to me. She has been my nurse ever since that day and has constantly helped with whatever I need. She has been so beyond kind to both me and the army of family I have constantly had around me.
She has such a kind soul, and I can tell that she truly cares about the job she is doing. My hospital stay after this life-changing surgery would have been much harder, if not impossible, for me to get through mentally and emotionally, if she had not been by my side, encouraging me the entire time. She has been the biggest cheerleader and rock to lean on and confide in. And the few times I have witnessed her around other patients, she is the same way. After the first day of her being my nurse, I noticed the sign for this award in my room and immediately knew that she deserved it. She is a ray of sunshine and truly goes above and beyond to make sure her patients are comfortable (mentally and physically). She does whatever she can to help, and she was always so knowledgeable and helpful with whatever questions we've had. Thank you.