A patient was admitted who by chance was being admitted by the charge nurse Heather Lovelady. This patient shared with Heather that her daughter always accompanied her and was always at her side when she was in the hospital. The patient went on to say that her daughter was killed in a car accident and was tearful telling the story. The patient also shared that her daughter was her “rock” and she did not know how she was going to make it without her. This patient was obviously still deeply grieving over the loss of her daughter over two years ago. The patient went on to tell Heather that her daughter had been an employee of this particular unit. Heather immediately knew who the patient was talking about and told the patient “your daughter sent me to you.”
Heather had gone to college with the patient’s daughter and they graduated nursing school together.
Andrea (the patient’s deceased daughter) had given Heather an inspirational book when Heather was going through a difficult situation while they were in school together. The patient had originally bought the book for her daughter Andrea and had inscribed a note to her inside the cover of the book, but Andrea had loaned it to Heather to read. Once graduation had occurred, they worked together, but on different shifts and eventually different floors. Over time, returning the book to Andrea had been overlooked. Heather continued to carry the book with her for over 10 years and 6 moves, hoping to run into Andrea to return it but Andrea eventually had moved and was working for another hospital. Upon telling the patient how Heather knew her daughter Andrea, Heather brought the book into work with her and gave the book to the patient. The patient stated “I know Andrea sent you to me in my time of need” and said that she could feel Andrea with her now. The book had been inscribed by the patient with a message to her daughter Andrea “To Andrea, with much love, mother 1989.” The patient grabbed Heather by the arm and stated “you don’t know what you have done for me, I feel she is with me now.”
Heather feels she is a part of a miracle that was 10 years in the making. She had always carried the book everywhere with her in hopes that she would see Andrea to return it. Heather is a special person, friend and confidant to all of us here at our hospital. We all love her so much. She has a heart of pure gold. This is one example of the many qualities that exemplifies the amazing nurse and person that Heather is.