Constance Taylor
April 2019
Constance
Taylor
,
RN
3 South Oncology Unit
Kaweah Delta Hospital
Visalia
,
CA
United States

 

 

 

My father was admitted to the hospital upon which time we found out that his brain cancer had spread and there was nothing more to be done but wait for the end. The surprise, shock, and grief were overwhelming for our family as we had never entertained the idea that Dad would not be coming home with us. For the first three nights, his RN was Constance. We were relieved to see her as she had been his nurse once before. In December of 2018 when he was first diagnosed, he stayed in KD for a week and she was his nurse for several nights. On that first trip to 3 South, my father was cantankerous and beyond bossy to Constance. Yet, she understood his circumstances, and not only was kind to him; she treated him with dignity and was very warm with him. She even joked with the old rascal until he was in better spirits. Thus, when we embarked upon this last trip to KDDH, my father's final one, to see Constance gave my family a great source of comfort. Each night, she was there, Constance took care of my father and though he was unconscious and incapable of communicating, she took great care with him. Again, she treated him with dignity and kindness and as we cried around him she gave us assurances that each night, while she was there, he would be well looked after. Finally, on the night he passed even though she wasn't his nurse that night she hugged each of us and even brought us Kleenex to dry our tears. My father dying is the hardest thing I have ever experienced, but thanks to Constance, though the journey was difficult there was comfort each night knowing she was there.