Stef helped me when I was having cognitive issues. I had planned for my family to come using the family room and was extremely nervous and under stress, considering I was having medical issues on top of the excitement. Stef jumped into action and calmed me down; she cleaned up the family room and put a sign on the door to ensure that I had a space to enjoy time with my family while also continuously checking in on me to make sure that I was okay. I was at MGH for 17 days, and this was just the very first interaction I had with her, in addition to the many more that made my stay at MGH a tolerable and comfortable experience.

Here are a few of the ways she helped me survive my inpatient stay, mentally and physically. She always came in to make sure I understood what doctors were telling me and spent as much time as needed to ensure I fully understood the next steps, what was needed of me, and to make sure that I was comfortable. She would come in with the most amazing attitude and brighten the room every time she entered. She would make me laugh and comfort me at the same time. It felt nice to want to enjoy the time I spent with Stef when she was with me, despite knowing she was busy and could have been less formal with me. I needed that comfort and informality to make it day-to-day.

It helped me feel like I was with a friend instead of stuck in a hospital. It was exactly the support I needed. Whatever I needed, Stef was already on it. She would heat up food for me, make sure I was always comfortable, and give me the support I needed to stay healthy. She would discuss options with me before giving me medication for pain or nausea, and she really helped me understand what my body was going through. Stef made sure that when there were dog therapy visits, acupuncture, or anything extra that I could experience to help me with my time there, she would sign me up without even asking.

She made a great effort to make sure that I did not feel miserable and had things to look forward to. When I was not at my full mental capabilities, she asked the oncologist to investigate having a psych evaluation for me. With that, they discovered that my medication was blocked up in my system without dialysis, and the doctor helped me change my medication so that wouldn't happen again. If she hadn't taken the time to realize that something truly was not right with me and gone the extra step to ask for that analysis, I would have been in that mental state my entire stay. She saved me with that very action. Overall, Stef was truly a bright light during a dim time of my life. She helped me survive my 17 days in MGH in so many ways. I am extremely grateful for her, and she deserves to receive any recognition possible for her excellence as a nurse and a human.