It is with great pleasure that I write this letter of appreciation and gratitude for this nurse. The only way to describe her is that she is truly an angel, and I want to share this about my mom who was admitted non-responsive. she was a resident of a nursing home, she was required to be in isolation even though she tested negative for COVID-19. Therefore, I was unable to visit her on the day of admission and the following day. I had not been able to visit her for six months due to the lockdown of her nursing home, so it was torture for me not to be with her in the hospital, especially in her condition. What a blessing that this nurse was the nurse on duty! A preliminary test did not reveal that a stroke was the cause of my mother's non-responsiveness. Therefore, I was in disbelief that her condition was not improving. In fact, I had talked to her on the phone at 8:30 a.m. that morning and she sounded herself. The next day, this nurse assisted in a phone call between my mother and me. I had hoped that when she heard my voice she would have a more animated response. However, during the call, my mother made a few grunting noises but nothing more. Later in the day, this nurse described my mother as even less responsive. I was devastated by this update. Regardless of all the COVID-19 regulations, how could I not be allowed to be with my mother at this time? Since I have no siblings and no children, how could I make end-of-life decisions for her on my own without seeing her in person?
This nurse empathized with me and, as a result, offered to contact my mother's primary care physician and the medical director at the nursing home. By the grace of God, this nurse was able to successfully reach the doctor and he requested that hospital officials grant me permission to visit my mother in isolation. Because of this, I was able to visit her for seven hours. Even in full personal protective equipment, I could still be close to her and touch her face and hold her hand, as I had done nearly every day before the nursing home lockdown. I spent the entire time talking to her, playing music and singing for her, reading to her, and praying. I must believe that she sensed I was there, even though she showed no evidence of this.
During my visit, this nurse not only served as a stellar nurse, but she also showed deep compassion and empathy for me in my situation, especially with the decisions I would have to make for my mother. Prior to leaving the hospital that evening, I thanked her for being the angel I would never forget. Not only, did she pave the way for me to be with my mother that day, but she also gave me the strength and support to make the decision to have my mother transferred to hospice and to consent for her feeding tube to be removed.
My mother passed away peacefully after I was permitted to spend a few more hours of quality time with her in hospice. Nothing has ever been more precious to me than the gift of time during those last three days of my mother's life. How uncanny that the hospital nurse who attended to my dying father 36 years earlier seemed like an angel to my mother and me. Yes, God sends angels to cross our paths just at the time when we need them the most.