Chelsey Crocker, RN

She was in my room when the doctor presented some extremely scary news about an MRI result showing a mass in my brain that could be cancer. I was alone with no family or close friends present. I could sense that she could tell I was very upset. She had a box of tissues ready and walked around to my side of the bed and instinctively reached out to hold my hand. That simple connection meant absolutely everything to me in that moment. Knowing someone was there for me told me I wasn’t alone. She kept holding my hand while I continued weeping. She looked at me and said, “Go ahead and let it out.” But being so shocked, I couldn’t even get an effective cry to come out. I’m not sure how long this lasted, but she was there for what seemed like several minutes, sharing her hand through which I felt love, warmth, and compassion. I will be forever grateful to her for being my nurse at that moment, demonstrating what the nursing profession is ultimately about.