The week before Christmas, we found ourselves in a place we never hoped we would be. Our mother was admitted to SOH for COVID pneumonia. We couldn't believe how quickly her health declined. From someone who was currently active and enjoying life with her family, to someone who didn't resemble our mom - she got weaker and weaker each day and required more oxygen.
One of the hardest things for us was the fact that we were not allowed to be with her. We are a very close-knit family and under normal circumstances would have been by her side. We can't say enough good things about Amber. She understands the value and importance of building relationships with others. We saw it firsthand. When Mom started to decline and was not able to answer her phone anymore, Amber Facetimed us so we could see her. We were able to encourage Mom and pray with her.
When we said we wished we could hug her, Amber hugged her. When we prayed, Amber held her hand. She showed, by her actions, that she sincerely cared not only for our Mom but for our family. When we made the decision for comfort care, we were allowed to go be with her. We noticed something special about Amber when she came into the room. Although Mom's name was M she never liked to be called that and always went by L throughout her life. When Amber walked in the room she always talked to her as "Ms. L" which told us she made an effort to get to know her patient, as more than just what she saw on paper. Amber made a connection with our family. She would call us with updates, and whenever we called with a question or concern, she never made us feel bad for calling. She brought comfort to our family in a time our world was falling apart.
When Mom breathed her last breath, we immediately called out for Amber to come, even though she was not her nurse that day, because she had become so special to us. She cried with us. She hugged us. She spoke words of comfort and love. She truly cared. She is a hero.