Judi Sanders
June 2022
Judi
Sanders
,
RN
RICU
Dignity Health St. Joseph's Medical Center
Stockton
,
CA
United States
Judi had such an overwhelming impact on my family that one of my nieces has changed her career path to pursue a nursing career to be this kind of light in someone else's dark day.
My sister was admitted for covid. She fought for her life for over a month. She ended up vented in the RICU. All of her nurses were great but one was extraordinary. She would update me daily and as busy as I know she was very informative, patient, warm, and empathetic. She took great care of my sister and would even wash her hair. Due to the stage of denial I was in regarding my sister's current situation I was really passive.
One day Judi asked, "Do you know how sick your sister is?" I simply answered, "Yes but I can't think about that now. I can only hold onto hope." She understood and knew exactly what I needed. She continued to be warm and empathetic. She was incredibly kind and built such a heartwarming rapport with the family. One day she called me telling me to come to the hospital. I knew what this meant. My sister had 8 children ranging from teens to young adults. My parents had 15 children together so I knew all my siblings wouldn't be allowed in. By the time I got there, this nurse had an iPad set up in the room with a conference call so all my sister's children and siblings could see and talk to my sister. My nieces and nephews were allowed to see their mom 2 at a time. They stood behind the glass doors unable to touch their mom and cried as they begged her not to go. My heart shattered as I witnessed this.
During this time Judi ran in and out of the room from one end of the ICU to the other. Changing out bag after bag. At one point she tripped and fell over the tubing. She never complained jumped back up and was back at it. Her children didn't know what was going on but they continuously thanked her for her hard work. It was past 3 pm. Judi seemed tired, hadn't had lunch or even a 15-minute break. She never complained. She refused to step away in for a break. She stayed with us the entire time. I watched with admiration because I knew she was running a one-woman code team.
After so long of my sister hanging on and fighting for her life her kids started to realize and accept she wasn't gonna make it. They then cried even harder and promised they would be giving her the ok to pass on. My siblings and I promised our sister to always care for her children. As my sister grew tired and her heart stopped, Judi broke down and began to cry with the family and say, "I am so sorry." At this point, even in their time of grief my sister's children immediately showered the nurse with gratitude and told her they loved her for how she cared for their mom and how she had treated all of us with such compassion. Although this was an incredibly difficult time for my family and me it was also a time filled with gratitude.
I have seen Judi after my sister's passing and she still hugs me and cries with me. I never knew Judi on a personal level before this and now she will always hold a special place in my heart. My family and I will forever be thankful to have had such a great nurse like her. There is no doubt in our minds that she did everything in her power to save my sister's life. Judi had such an overwhelming impact on my family that one of my nieces has changed her career path to pursue a nursing career to be this kind of light in someone else's dark day. Thank you Judi Sanders from RICU. You truly are an extraordinary nurse and will forever hold a special place in my heart.
One day Judi asked, "Do you know how sick your sister is?" I simply answered, "Yes but I can't think about that now. I can only hold onto hope." She understood and knew exactly what I needed. She continued to be warm and empathetic. She was incredibly kind and built such a heartwarming rapport with the family. One day she called me telling me to come to the hospital. I knew what this meant. My sister had 8 children ranging from teens to young adults. My parents had 15 children together so I knew all my siblings wouldn't be allowed in. By the time I got there, this nurse had an iPad set up in the room with a conference call so all my sister's children and siblings could see and talk to my sister. My nieces and nephews were allowed to see their mom 2 at a time. They stood behind the glass doors unable to touch their mom and cried as they begged her not to go. My heart shattered as I witnessed this.
During this time Judi ran in and out of the room from one end of the ICU to the other. Changing out bag after bag. At one point she tripped and fell over the tubing. She never complained jumped back up and was back at it. Her children didn't know what was going on but they continuously thanked her for her hard work. It was past 3 pm. Judi seemed tired, hadn't had lunch or even a 15-minute break. She never complained. She refused to step away in for a break. She stayed with us the entire time. I watched with admiration because I knew she was running a one-woman code team.
After so long of my sister hanging on and fighting for her life her kids started to realize and accept she wasn't gonna make it. They then cried even harder and promised they would be giving her the ok to pass on. My siblings and I promised our sister to always care for her children. As my sister grew tired and her heart stopped, Judi broke down and began to cry with the family and say, "I am so sorry." At this point, even in their time of grief my sister's children immediately showered the nurse with gratitude and told her they loved her for how she cared for their mom and how she had treated all of us with such compassion. Although this was an incredibly difficult time for my family and me it was also a time filled with gratitude.
I have seen Judi after my sister's passing and she still hugs me and cries with me. I never knew Judi on a personal level before this and now she will always hold a special place in my heart. My family and I will forever be thankful to have had such a great nurse like her. There is no doubt in our minds that she did everything in her power to save my sister's life. Judi had such an overwhelming impact on my family that one of my nieces has changed her career path to pursue a nursing career to be this kind of light in someone else's dark day. Thank you Judi Sanders from RICU. You truly are an extraordinary nurse and will forever hold a special place in my heart.