To begin with, I have been a nurse for more than 15 years and have worked in multiple high-stress environments. Very often, I have worked alongside some of the finest nurses with their caring, compassion, and exceptional patient care.

That being said, it is not very often that you come by a nurse who stands out in every aspect as Kori did.

My wife is a very difficult surgery case and always has been. She has multiple diagnoses that are very difficult. Usually, the biggest hurdle is the fact that my wife isn’t an ultra-fast drug metabolizer. Despite having the pain team on board with her case, there are often complications that are unforeseen. This surgery was no exception.

She had come back from surgery and was still in excruciating pain. Kori immediately jumped into action and got her more pain medications. She was packing her bed with pillows to position her and make her comfortable. She had gotten ice for different areas that were hurting.

She was in constant communication with anesthesia, pain, and the surgery team, continuously keeping them updated and getting whatever my wife needed. I have never seen a bigger advocate for my wife than any other nurse, and she’s been taken care of by multiple nurses.

I think the most touching moment for me was when she sat down on the chair next to my wife, brushed her hair out of her face, and calmly touched her shoulder, helping her with deep breathing exercises. She took the time when my wife needed to know she was being cared for and let her know she was not alone in the crisis she was in.

My wife has been through a conservative 30-plus surgeries, and she never comes out of surgery easily. The only exception to this surgery is the way Kori cared for her. She still had excruciating pain afterward, just like every other surgery, still couldn’t get comfortable, and still required an extraordinary amount of medication, but none of this phased Kori.

She overcame whatever she needed to provide my wife with what she needed. She was a selfless, compassionate, nurturing, and professional nurse who epitomized what it means to be a nurse.

I hold anyone taking care of my wife to a high standard, as any other family member would. My wife has had extraordinary care in the past by some fantastic nurses. However, she has never had what she had from Kori.

Kori performed all the required tasks, just like all the other nurses had before. The difference was in how she didn’t stop caring when the task was completed. Kori showed her that she was still a person worthy of receiving the highest quality care, despite the difficulties she faces with every surgery.

Words can never express my gratitude for Kori and for all the wonderful things she did to care for my wife.