I am in my early twenties and going through the most difficult situation I have ever experienced in my life. This is something I never could have imagined for myself, and I have been completely distraught. I came into the emergency room following complications from a prior procedure, and this is where I met Desire. I had not smiled or laughed in weeks, yet within minutes, Desire had me doing both.

She was sensitive but somehow managed to lighten my mood even while I was in extreme physical and emotional pain. In my personal life and in other medical settings, I have often been met with judgment surrounding my choices. Desire was the first person to look me in the eyes and say, “I am sorry for your loss.” No judgment, no questions, just compassion. I choked back my tears in that moment, and she could never have known how deeply I needed to hear those words. I had not allowed myself to grieve because I felt so much all at once, but hearing that simple acknowledgment made it possible for me to finally accept that it was okay not to be okay.

Throughout my time in the emergency room, Desire went out of her way to make me comfortable, check in on me, and make me smile. She took my pain seriously. Before discharge, she walked me through additional therapy options and wrote down resources for me. The thought and time she gave to making sure I was not only okay in that moment but also had support for the future were so genuine. She told me she wanted me to be okay today and in ten years.

Desire gathered extra pads for me to take home and packed up my belongings herself. When I left the hospital, I felt like I could hold my head a little higher. I will never forget what she did for me. She cared for me not only as a nurse, but as a woman caring for another woman.

Thank you, Desire, from the bottom of my heart.

This is Desire's 2nd DAISY Award!