Memories of Kathy Seva

In memory of

Kathy Seva

Half Moon Bay, CA, USA

February 26, 1953 - August 7, 2021

Feb 26, 1953 - Aug 7, 2021

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Prabha Upadhyaya-Maskell

I learned so much from you! I am a better nurse because of you. I admired your strength and compassion! I miss you and my heart hurts. I have no words . I hope God gives your family the strength to bear the loss of you.

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Moira Wight

liz lawson

Shared a heart

liz lawson

Kathy...you have left us far too soon...your indomitable spirit will forever remain in all of our hearts as your spirit ascends into everlasting peace.
You taught me how to be a top notch nurse, no excuses, no mistakes...you brought joy and happiness to an unending number of patients and to dozens and dozens of colleagues. Your smart smile, sassy sense of humor and incredible knowledge of nursing has inspired so many people over the course of your short sweet life. I can't say goodbye because it hurts too much, being selfish I want you here, healthy and happy... that part of your life has transformed into memories of your heart and soul, united in peace.... love you, miss you...will never forget you. liz lawson

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Moira Wight

Robert Christensen

2017, Open Heart Reunion at Dr. Mitchell's home

The last time Kathy and I would meet.

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Sonia Orr

liz lawson

Moira Wight

Robert Christensen

ICU in the Old Hospital Building

I have moved to North Carolina so, unfortunately, I cannot attend.
I have known Kathy since 1982. After all these years, I would be hard pressed to imagine someone who was a more profound advocate for the patient than Kathy. She was intolerant of anyone who failed to place the patient first. I have known many nurses over my 35 years as a nurse, but I have to confess that of all the nurses I have known and worked with, it was most important to me to have Kathy’s respect. If you earned her respect, you knew you had “arrived” as a nurse in ICU. Her respect was something I coveted and something I was fortunate enough to have received.
Two stories come to mind. One serious. One humorous.
Kathy had a patient in room 9. The patient and her husband were both physicians at Stanford and proved hard to please. Virtually nothing we nurses did for them was good enough. Kathy spoke with the husband outside the room. All I heard of that conversation was Kathy telling the husband, “I know you don’t trust us.” Yet, after that conversation, she had won over the husband and, in turn, the patient. It was a stunning turn-around and it was all because of Kathy. I was so impressed with her ability to achieve this change. She could be very persuasive.
On another occasion, Kathy had already setup her heart room and had received the first patient of the day. I was assigned the second heart (her shift started at 7 am; mine started at 11am), but I really wasn’t up to taking a “fresh heart” that day. Kathy offered to give the “settled-in” heart to me and she would receive the second heart – it was a lot of extra work for Kathy to make that switch.
Later in the day, Kathy came around to my room and she noted that I had rearranged the tubes, cables, chest tubes and just about everything else in the room from the way she had left them. We were both more than a little OCD. I told Kathy, “I had to rearrange everything to improve things.” She said, “How can you improve things when I left them in perfect condition for you!” We both had a bit of a laugh over it all. We both respected each other but made space for how we got things done.
I am very saddened at Kathy’s passing. She will be very much missed by those of us who had the privilege of knowing and working with her. She was unique. Nursing is diminished because of her absence. Bob Christensen

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