My 53-year-old uncle was in a motor vehicle collision. He was removed from the car with the jaws of life and flown to Research Medical Center as a trauma patient. Lokelani was assigned to him on the first day that I came in. She greeted me with what felt like open arms. While still under a trauma name, she asked me his real name for identification purposes, with further intent to know him as a person and not just another patient.

This nurse listened to me. She introduced each person to my uncle by his real name after she knew it. She listened to stories I told her about my uncle and gave the extra time she had to support both him and me. She was very attentive to detail. She was in the room frequently, and although my uncle wasn’t responding properly to any stimuli, she still took into consideration whether she should tell by knowing his mannerisms as a person, not just the medical definition/symptoms of pain.

Thank you for your support, care, and compassion during a difficult time in my life. I thank you for your heart and for keeping your care personable in this crazy world of healthcare we live in today. May you follow your dreams and have much success in all you do.