DAISY Award—Melissa Johnson Camacho, BSN, MS, RN, OCN
Melissa Johnson Camacho, BSN, MS, RN, OCN
Davis 8 Oncology/BMTU
In January I got diagnosed with leukemia which made my world upside down. I couldn’t believe what had happened to me. My oncologist Dr. Jon’s said I was going to be in Davis 8 for chemo treatment which was my biggest fear just hearing the word chemo. When I arrived to Davis 8 I had got my night nurse where she gave me premeds for my first dose of chemo I cried I wasn’t ready it was the biggest fear of my life. I told my night nurse I couldn’t do it and she said wait until the am so you can tell your oncologist you can’t do it. In the morning I had Melissa as my day shift nurse she motivated me to get treatment she said “C” you can do it. She said what takes away your anxiety I said music and the bike cycle at the gym. She went out of her way and brought me a cycle where I went on it with my headphones to take away my fear of chemo and she began the chemo and I overcame it on the bike cycle. I pretended my chemo was just saline because that’s how comfortable Melissa made me feel. This was induction for me too, a 4 week stay in the hospital and she made me feel strong when I was sick and weak. Even when she wasn’t my day shift she went out of her way to comfort me and bring me what I needed to take my pain and anxiety away. I have been with Davis 8 for 9 months now, I have done 8 cycles of 5 long days in the hospital and Melissa during this time has shown nothing but spectacular outstanding skills to provide me with. Melissa has brought joy to my life in this time for me which is crappy, no one wants to be reminded they have cancer and just being around Melissa she makes me feel normal and strong. She is a hero and even gave me a cute nickname “chemodiva” because I have done it and I thought I couldn’t. I am currently in remission and last week I rang the bell for having my last aggressive chemotherapy done and I was happy she was there. I am off to a 2 year maintenance and I hope when this Covid-19 is done I can go and visit her to thank her once again. If you knew how hard cancer and chemo was you would be scared too it’s a lot of work and lots of infections but I did it, thank you Melissa Camacho!