Rebekah O'Connor
February 2020
Rebekah
O'Connor
,
RN
Peds Acute
OSF Saint Francis Medical Center
Peoria
,
IL
United States

 

 

 

Our 16-year-old daughter had just been diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes and we had spent two days in the PICU. Once O was stable, we were moved up to the 6th floor and were greeted by Beka. She told us how she had requested to be O's nurse as she too was a Type 1 diabetic. Beka told us how she believed in sharing any knowledge she could to help make this transition easier. She was amazing! Within a couple of hours, O was checking her own glucose and giving herself her insulin injections. Beka just had a way of talking to her and putting her at ease and O trusted her. Beka took the time to answer any questions any of us had, gave us tons of tips and tricks for snacking, stress, and transitioning into this new normal. She even took the time to make a list of inspirational people with Type 1 Diabetes for O to follow on Facebook and Instagram. She was able to relate to and calm my 16-year-old, who also has anxiety issues, to the point where she was excited to learn everything she can and to manage her condition. We cannot thank Beka enough for her kindness, empathy, and patience with O. We were truly blessed to have had her as a nurse that day! She has impacted our daughter more than she will ever know! Thank you.