She dreamed of a career in fashion. But this nurse felt a calling to save lives

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Renee Kojima didn’t become a healthcare hero. In fact, she was considering a future in fashion design, but a small volunteer gig after college sparked something.

“I started volunteering at a doctor’s office because my cousin was a friend of hers, and then I volunteered at the Castle Hospital emergency room and thought I’d like it,” Kojima said.

The experience led her to change careers, but her mother had doubts.

“My mom thought I shouldn’t be a nurse because I was so big. And she said, “I think you’re going to have a really hard time because you don’t weigh that much either.” It’s one thing to be as small as you, but at least if you had weight. And somehow, I defied the odds and did it anyway, and I had my challenges along the way, yes, but for the most part, I think I really enjoyed most of it,” she explained.

And that love goes a long way toward explaining why her patients love her back.

“So we go about our day wanting to do the best we can for our patients, every single one of them, but David in particular is such a great guy. You know, you go and see him on the street and maybe you walk past him until he talks to you and then it’s really one of those things where he’s a Gold Star family member and also a veteran and I think that For that reason, I mean he should have a lot more respect from all of us.”

At one time, David weighed almost 235 pounds.

Then something as common as acid reflux flared up and worsened to the point that doctors had to remove his stomach and esophagus. He was placed on tube feeding for seven years and his weight dropped to 76 pounds.

Eventually everything changed, especially when Renee was appointed as his nurse.

“If it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t be here today,” David said. “Because she saved my life three times and I will never forget that she will always be the best for me and nothing will change that. And I love her. You know, I don’t know how many people think I’m probably crazy, but I’m not, because I’ve had other caretakers, and once they leave, I never hear from them again. You know, when they go home, whatever, when she goes on vacation and calls me and makes sure I’m okay.

“You know, no one does that, at least I don’t think so, but I’ve been through so much that she was sent by God.”

We asked Renee several times what it was like to save someone’s life, she answered: “I don’t know. And so one of those things that I don’t know, I felt so strongly, it was just part of doing the work, acknowledging that something wasn’t quite right and referring it to someone who would fix things like the ER. But I think when I look at him, I feel like I need to do something, maybe even more, in the sense that I want to save him.”

David says Renee gives him hope.

“You know, she doesn’t like to just come in, do it and leave. We talk and she wants to know how things are going, how my grandchildren are doing and everything and pictures,” he said.

And it seems like caregiving is a two-way street.

“You know, the satisfaction that he’s doing well brings a lot of benefits. I mean, I think on the days when he’s not feeling well, that’s bad for me too.”

David was not the only one who benefited from Renee’s care; his wife Jean Marie also thanks Renee for making her life better.

“It was very difficult, about five years, I had to do it, I had a full-time job. Me too, my daughter was in the hospital for a while, where I went back and forth to hospitals every day after work, and then Renee came into our lives, and my whole life changed. Now I have a new life. Now I’ve been able to go back to school, so I’m doing an online course and it’s starting a whole new life for me,” she said.

Luckily for the Olmos family, Renee has no plans to hang up her scrubs anytime soon.

“I could probably retire, but I choose not to. I find it very rewarding and I really love the fact that when I come to work every day, I feel like I’m learning something every day and I think that’s what we’re here for and should be part of the community. “, she said.

“I feel like we’re here to give back to our neighbors and friends and treat them the way we want to treat our family.”