My daughter was in the hospital for 8 days. She has multiple chronic illnesses and is so very medically complex. When she was admitted to the ICU, she was in a very altered state, and it was very difficult to honor her dignity due to the catheters, her dystonia, etc. All of the staff did a great job in managing her care in an efficient and compassionate manner. However, Rachel stood out because she empathized with how a young woman would feel when faced with all of the indignities that are experienced with a long hospitalization. Every night that Rachel was on shift, she would fix my daughter’s hair - even Dutch braiding it! She would sit with her, talking and singing, and generally interact with her on a personal level. I know this helped my daughter stay oriented as she struggled to recover from a severe infection. Rachel effortlessly helped bring a ray of sunshine to an otherwise grim situation.

On a side note - Rachel’s braids held up from Monday until Friday morning. After my daughter was discharged, she was reluctant to take them out because she liked them so much!

Rachel is one of those nurses we will always remember for going the extra mile in helping a very sick young woman feel hopeful in a time of great difficulty.