Dawn Derleth, RN

I was headed to Wisconsin Rapids to take my mother to the doctor. On the way up, I got a concerned call from the nurse at my mom’s facility. A second call came on my 2.5-hour drive that she should go to the emergency room based on something happening now. This was very scary for my mom and me!

Dawn was amazing from mom’s admission, testing, and all that she needed to diagnosing, to checking mom in, and doing it quickly with a possible TIA or stroke. It was determined that my mother had sick sinus syndrome, and the doctor wanted to keep testing, send her to a different hospital. My mom did not want to do this, and as her power of attorney, I had to make the difficult decision to put her in hospice.

Without Dawn, I could not have done this without falling totally apart. She heard my heart, let me cry, and knew, she said she is a power of attorney for her dad, the same impossible dilemma as daughter and power of attorney I was in. She hugged me and was there for me as a human being, a daughter, and a broken heart. She helped me tell the doctor that my mother’s wishes were not more tests, not a transfer to another hospital, not a surgery that might buy her 1-2 weeks if she lived through it.

My mother’s choice was to be with her husband in heaven. She prayed that for the last 2 years, and now God was granting her prayer. I put my mom on hospice, with the added strength, love, empathy, and compassion Dawn gave me. Mom died 5 days later. January 25th, 2025 was her last day on earth and first in heaven. I made the right decision with Dawn’s willingness to be in the mess with me! Thank you, Dawn! I hope you got the flowers I sent you, too. God bless, love ya!