Cynthia A Shaffer, RN BSN OCN

I recently had a vulvectomy for melanoma and had to return for treatment of an infection. The vulvectomy was more radical than I expected and I was feeling a whole lot of feelings…..Embarrassment, self-consciousness, anger, sadness, and fear. So, to have to deal with an infection and resulting discomfort too was so overwhelming. Upon admission to the ED, I cried a lot. I immediately felt a sense of ease upon meeting Cindy. We bonded over being Penn Staters (for the Glory!) and connected on being caregivers to parents. Listening to her experiences gave me hope and inspiration for helping my Mom. She also helped me to start accepting my “new body” noting a lot of other women come to 5800 for vulvectomy care and recovery, which made me feel less alone. Cindy mentioned how much she loves her job and it shows in the way she helped me. As lucky as I am to have Cindy as my nurse, Magee is lucky to have Cindy!!