"M" has been a guest in the PIC several times since last fall. She comes monthly for chemotherapy. Her visit during the month of February was a horrible and trying time for her. She spent most of the five-day stay on the bathroom floor of her room in pain and extremely nauseated. The medication that could make her feel better also caused her to be extremely uncomfortable when it was pushed through her mediport. So unfortunately, she refused the medications that would relieve her pain, nausea and help her sleep. Her parents watched her suffer endlessly for days as her frail body got weaker.

On day four of her stay, Alissa was M's nurse. She is such a wonderful nurse. She had a kind heart and soft touch. She suggested that perhaps we could dilute the medication and run it slower on a pump. She gained M's trust that she wanted to help her and really thought it would work. For the first time in four days we were able to watch M rest.

Alissa is a testament to what great nursing is all about. A great nurse is not only a kind heart and soft touch. A great nurse also uses all of her resources and her ingenuity to find a way to make a tired and sick patient rest. M was ready to give up on her chemotherapy and let whatever happen to her happen. Alissa is the angel that saved her faith. M's last treatment in March went so much smoother. She was comfortable, able to rest, and had so much less nausea as a result of our new plan of care in the way her IV meds would be administered thanks to Alissa.