My dad was in end-stage liver failure. He had liver cirrhosis. He was rushed to the SICU. He was given a feeding tube and put on dialysis for his kidneys. We were waiting for the transplant team to finish their evaluation to determine if my dad was eligible for a liver transplant. Without a transplant, he only had a couple of months to live. My dad needed a heart stent. We were told it was optimistic to think he would survive the surgery. I have two younger sisters. We spent as much time as we could with our dad, all while watching him die. My dad survived the heart stent. A few days later, my dad was rushed to emergency surgery for an abdominal bleed, causing him severe pain, and 20 minutes after being put on the transplant list. My dad was sedated and on a ventilator, and the abdominal surgery was successful.

The next day, I walked to the nurses' station to get an update on my dad before going to his room. In the updates, Alyssa mentioned his transplant surgery was scheduled for the next morning. I cried and smiled. I was so excited, and so scared. Alyssa told me how excited she and the other staff are for my dad; they're rooting for him and can't wait to see the other side of him. Alyssa was my dad’s nurse throughout most of his SICU stay. During the waiting, Alyssa encouraged my dad and she explained things to my sisters and I in detail. She was honest. She never got frustrated when we asked her the same question. She made us feel comfortable, heard, and hopeful. A few days after his transplant, Alyssa stopped by my dad's new room and told him she was proud of him. All I can say is, I’m incredibly proud of the kindness, honesty, and hope that Alyssa provides her patients and their loved ones. She deserves this.