I am an infectious disease patient in La Crosse. I have been on and off IV antibiotic therapy for several years. Currently, I am on them and have a PICC line so I can administer them at home. Because of my condition, I have enterocutaneous fistulas, ventral hernias, and abscesses around my fistula; my local surgeon has referred me to Rochester to see the best doctor in the country. It is very difficult to do all my care in Rochester because I have a very busy 4 year old daughter, and my husband is working 60+ hours per week to pay all our bills as I am unable to work (I work in home health and hospice for Mayo in LaCrosse), until after Surgery at the end of September.
Throughout all of this Traci Kokke, the infectious disease nurse, has been my rock. Truly living the Franciscan Values and the Mission, Vision, Values of Mayo clinic. It has been difficult and confusing to coordinate my care so I can stay in La Crosse to receive my treatments while remaining under the direction of my doctors in Rochester.
The first morning after my initial hospitalization, I had to have time sensitive labs due at 11am. I was on the phone by 8 am with lab, my La Crosse doctor's office, my Mayo team of doctors and registration in La Crosse. I spent an hour and a half trying to make sure everyone knew what I needed and the importance of the small window of time the labs needed to be drawn. Feeling as if I had gotten nowhere, I decided to go to the hospital to work everything out in person. I asked for Traci as soon as she got to work. She came directly out to me to start discussing what needed to be done. At this point, I was so exasperated I was in tears. How could it be so difficult to get services locally instead of driving to Rochester 3+ days a week, especially when I could not even drive with my medications? Traci immediately started making calls, talking to lab, calling Mayo Rochester to make sure everything I needed got done.
Traci also called and got an order to draw my labs off my central line because my veins are impossible to get blood from with my autoimmune disease as I was past my breaking point of getting poked time and again to get any labs. After all the coordination of care, she personally took me to the lab and drew my blood herself. This is only one example of the many that I have of Traci going over and above for her patients. One thing will always resonate in my mind that Traci said to me that day. She said, "It is my job to coordinate all of your care to ensure you have seamless visits when you come here, it is your job to heal, rest, and get better."
Most recently I was discharged after yet another 10-day hospitalization. I know that many things needed to be done. From follow up appointments to PICC line dressing changes and labs. Instead of trying to do it all on my own, my first call was to Traci, and as usual she took all the worries from me. I thanked her so many times and again, she told me to just get better and she was here to help me any way she can, including discussing my case with the infectious disease doctors to see how we would like to proceed with IV antibiotics and also maintaining my PICC line.
Not only does Traci take care of all my nursing needs, she genuinely cares. Every time we talk she asks about my entire family, all by name. She makes me feel like I am her only patient, when I know she manages dozens. Traci truly lives our mission of putting the needs of the patient first. I have worked with dozens of doctors and nurses over the last 17 years and 20 surgeries and I can honestly say Traci is one in a million. Without all of her help and caring, I don't know if I would have enough strength to get me through all of this. I know that she is and always will be there for me, and for that she deserves this DAISY Award and so much more. Words cannot express how grateful I am to have my nurse Traci.