My mom was dealing with a rare and life-threatening liver disease where a liver transplant was her only hope for survival. Her case was complex and demanding, especially for nurses who had not dealt with this disease process before. Being in a non-transplant facility, many staff didn't know what to be watching for or what to report to my mom's providers.
We were lucky enough to have Andrea providing my mom care in the last couple months and Andrea did this like she was taking care of her own mom. She advocated for her to my mom's physicians, taught my mom new ways to provide some of her own cares, checked on her frequently, and made sure to bring her special treats. Andrea checked on her (and us) on her nights off of work, was a sounding board for me and my family, and also made sure that my dad was well taken care of, as he stayed with my mom almost every night in her room. Andrea loved on my mom and all of us family as we dealt with this difficult diagnosis and time in our lives.
When Mom was eventually transferred, Andrea checked in on us and showed concern and compassion even though mom was not under her care anymore. In the end, she was one of the first to message us after Mom passed away. Still today, my dad talks about Andrea with a sparkle in his eye and as if she was a part of our family. She was most definitely a bright spot in our darkest time.
Thank you Andrea for being the special nurse who impacted our lives (especially my mom and dad's), who did the extra things to make our time in the hospital and skilled more bearable, who asked the hard questions of us and my mom's providers, who never stopped taking care of us, who was the smile and personality we needed. We were truly, truly blessed to have you provide such awesome care to our mom!