My wife had a foot infection that led to swelling of her foot, and there was concern about it being drug-resistant or sepsis.  We arrived at the hospital on a Saturday evening and unfortunately, no rooms were available so we had to be in a bed in the hallway. The ER was super busy.  That was a long night, but when Raquel came in the morning, she was so kind and generous.  She explained everything to us.  She would come up to us routinely, check up on us, share a joke, bring us food and give us updates.   She was just so kind and gentle.  At a time of great anxiety, when there was concern about either the infection being drug resistant or the risk of sepsis, she was reassuring and so kind.  She went above and beyond and also made sure that we got the room when one became available.

There were lots of patients in the hallway, but Raquel would check up on every single one as if they were the only ones there.  She did not seem rushed, or busy - she would give the patients the full attention. She was patient, kind, thoughtful, and so generous with her time. She was never rushed. Her kindness made a world of difference at that moment. She would check up on us if we needed anything - I was sitting on a chair for hours, and she would also ask me if she could bring anything to me. There were lots of patients and tons of anxiety, but her calm demeanor and gentle approach made a world of difference to everyone.

Once the infection started to subside and my wife had gotten IV antibiotics, we were told that we needed to wait for the foot doctor before we could be discharged or kept for another night. That information was valuable, but Raquel then went ahead and called the foot doctor to ask when he could come to see us.  It was Sunday and we were not sure if the doctor would even come.  But she wanted to make sure that we had the most accurate information and that she did everything in her capacity to take care of us. She was both kind and transparent so that we knew what was going on.  She shared everything with us in a way that was so gentle and reassuring.  She also made sure that we had a room while we waited so we could rest.   The doctor was exceptionally kind and generous and came in the evening (he himself was traveling and came straight from the airport), and we were discharged that evening.  It was Raquel who requested it.  We were so impressed and inspired by her kindness. She is an exceptional staff.  Raquel did not have to do this, on a Sunday, but she cared so much for our well-being and that of everyone else who was there, and wanted to make sure everyone was taken care of and they knew what was going on.  She is simply phenomenal and is so inspiring.