Ronnie went above and beyond in providing me with care. I came here to get facial feminization surgery and a lot of the nurses downstairs misgendered or used my dead name but Ronnie went the extra mile to ask for my pronouns asked for clarification on my preferred name Abby and she provided me with a safe space to heal.

I am also autistic, and she made sure to make my environment calm so I would not get overstimulated by dimming the lights and bringing me warm blankets. I also have type 1 diabetes, and she made sure to check in with me consistently. I didn't even have to ask; she was more on top of it than I was. I would have trouble sleeping due to the pain, and she would take the time when she was not busy with me to talk to me. She didn't have to, but she didn't mind at all and that meant a lot, she could've just checked in and left but she wanted to make me feel comfortable while the pain medication slowly kicked in. She told me about her service in the army and all her hobbies, and we both found we had a lot in common. We talked about anime, medieval combat, and our past experiences in social work. I was very anxious post op given the intensity of the procedure, but her kindness and friendship made me feel calm and welcome and made the sleepless night more bearable.

I couldn't ask for a better nurse, and she deserves it. I know a lot of trans people who have trouble trusting the medical system or are scared of mistreatment, and in my opinion, we need more nurses like Ronnie. She saw me as a human, not a burden, and went above and beyond. I will miss her.