Clarence was our night shift nurse every night except for the last night my grandma was with us.

I don't even know where to begin with Clarence. She was simply amazing... no, she was the BEST! 

She became part of the family after being with her for 3-4 nights. Every night around 6-7 pm (shift change, of course), my grandma made a turn for the worst and visiting hours ended at 8 pm. 

Clarence knew I was also a nurse and worked it out so I could stay each and every night until my grandma was stabilized so I would not be worried about leaving my grandma's side. She explained everything completely, so I knew exactly what was about to happen. 

We talked about nursing, who my grandma was as a person, and other aspects of life, which gave me some peace as it felt like I had a friend who was there for me. She was compassionate, personable, and intelligent. She took exceptional care not only of my grandmother but also of my family. 

We were expecting her the night we withdrew care on my grandma, but it was her overtime shift, and she got called-off. When my family and I heard this, we were devastated because it felt like a part of our family was missing. She happened to call into the unit that night to check on my grandma, and when she heard we were withdrawing care, she asked to speak to me on the phone. On the phone, she expressed her condolences and how much she hated that she could not be there for our family. She even offered to come in to be with us during this difficult process. 

Clarence will have a special place in my family's hearts for the rest of our lives. She was a glimpse of light on our darkest days. Thank you, Clarence!