We first met Julie in 2017 when my husband was undergoing treatment for Lymphoma. He had an unusual skin reaction which required extensive dressing changes. 2018 brought him back to the hospital with a leg infection that gave the doctors quite a challenge to treat. He was in the ICU and once again had daily dressing changes with Julie. Moving forward to 2019. His Lymphoma returned and was very aggressive. After an intense round of chemo and too much time in bed, he developed pressure sores and with a compromised immune system, his PICC line became infected and once again his body responded with a rapid decelerating skin infection. Julie remembered him and immediately updated doctors on prior infections.
Julie came in every day to treat and dress his wounds with a smile and a kind word. My husband was in a lot of pain and Julie always made sure to call the nurse ahead of time so they could pre-medicate him for his comfort. He had been in the hospital for months and Julie always took the time to talk to him as a person, asking him questions, engaging him in conversation, and making him feel like a person, not just a patient. She did a thorough assessment and made sure the nurses knew how to change dressings when needed on the night shift, how to keep his pressure sores from worsening, and how to keep him comfortable. Julie communicated effectively with the weekend Staff so his care would be continued appropriately.
We have met so many people along his battle with cancer. He spent most of the last 3 months in hospitals. Only a few people stood out to us. Julie was one of those people. Her compassion, knowledge, and empathy are true assets. Sadly, my husband lost his battle with cancer. I am forever grateful to Julie for not only the outstanding care she gave my husband, but for the connection she made with him, making him feel that he was genuinely cared about as a person.