10 Things About Liz Stimson &
UC San Diego Health
“I always say, ‘Have a good day’ to everyone and mean it.” – Liz Stimson
Patients with spinal cord injuries are often in debilitating pain at the point when they seek care. Many have lived with pain for years, and those who are referred to UC San Diego’s spine surgery specialists have often already had failed treatments and surgeries for highly complex problems. As the team’s nurse practitioner, Liz Stimson is respected as an invaluable colleague by the surgical team, for the role she plays with the patients and their families – from the first call they make, to the often long period of recovery and physical therapy that follows their surgery.
10 Things About Liz Stimson & UC San Diego Health
1. I am proud to say that I am a native Californian – 11 generations on my mother’s side.
2. Acceptance and forgiveness are important qualities for everyone to have.
3. I have been fortunate to have been able to travel to faraway lands but what I love the most are San Diego beaches, especially Encinitas.
4. No bucket list – every day is a dream come true.
5. Watson was the best cat for our family. He passed away two years ago and he is dearly missed, but Hoodie is doing a good job of replacing him.
6. My husband and I love to dance, but I am not very coordinated so we do the best we can.
7. My work colleagues and I get together at the end of a hard day to talk and share uplifting stories before we go home.
8. What surprises me most is the inner strength and perseverance that exists in people. I am constantly amazed at how people are able to rally, in the face of adversity, which I have witnessed in my patients and my colleagues.
9. During this time of social distancing, UC San Diego Health was concerned about continuing care for their patients. With UCSD’s technological advances in establishing telemedicine, we were able to quickly adapt and maintain communication and care with patients. We have discovered advantages in telemedicine – it allows us to reach into the patient’s home so that the patient does not have to travel when they are in pain.
10. The most valuable lesson I have learned is to never give up and never give up on each other.
What we see over and over are individuals coming to us in terrible pain, sometimes to the point that they see their life is no longer worth living. Our UCSD Spine Team is able restore their quality of life and hope for their future. To see a patient walk in after their pain has been improved is more joy than we could ever ask for.
UC San Diego Health
