May 2019
Lyndsey
Haleck
,
BSN, RN, CPHON
3F Pediatric Unit
Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center
Los Angeles
,
CA
United States

 

 

 

Lyndsey is my voice when I cannot speak. She knows me so well, and I trust her to take care of me. She even made signs for my room to help explain my symptoms and reactions to other nurses, such as sleep talking and shaking when in pain. Other nurses have found these signs helpful when they see these symptoms. Lyndsey sits down and listens to me to get to know me better. We have actual conversations, and she gives me real advice. She remembers I am an adult even though my treatment is in Pediatrics. As soon as she comes into the room, I feel calm.
Family is the most important thing for me, and I really wanted to have a child of my own. I was facing full body radiation, which would have eliminated the chance of having any children, and I only had four months to work with. I pursued the normal paths of preserving fertility, and all attempts were unsuccessful. I was eventually told that they had exhausted all the options, but Lyndsey would not take that as an answer. Lyndsey was able to get me an appointment with a urologist who could perform a procedure. Lyndsey got me the opportunity to preserve my fertility.
Once, I started to shake badly because of pain from migraines and radiation, and I couldn't speak. Lyndsey came in and was able to help my nurse that day through what was going on because she knows my symptoms and reactions so well. Whenever she's my nurse, I feel like my counts go up because I trust her, and I attribute that to her caregiving. She cares for many of the patients going through radiation and complex medical treatments and is relied upon to help train others. Lyndsey will always have a place in my memory for all that she's done for me.