April 2021
Katie
Garnett
,
RN
Infusion Center
Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital Midtown
Nashville
,
TN
United States
Ms. Garnett consoled P, calmed her fears, and prayed with and for P. On what turned out to be P's last inpatient stay, when there were no more fight options.
This event occurred over a 2 year period ending in Feb 2021. Katie Garnet's first step into P's cancer journey occurred on the St Thomas Midtown Oncology Surgical Unit following an extensive cancer removal surgery. Katie was P's nurse. Katie not only applied outstanding nursing care, but she also added a very personal, gentle approach to patient care.
One night, Ms. Garnett came into P's room, noting that P was overcome with fear and darkness, asked her permission, and said the most heartwarming words ever spoken. That event changed the course of P's journey into cancer treatment, instilling a reason to fight, to go on, something she had not been able to do on her own.
Chemotherapy began shortly after, also at St Thomas Midtown, first one protocol, then another, and during that time Ms. Garnett became one of the nurses in the Infusion Center. Ms. Garnett continued to encourage and support P during the two year period. In February 2021, during an inpatient admission to the Oncology Unit, Ms. Garnett was in P's room upon return from a failed procedure that triggered a sudden transition to palliative-only care. Ms. Garnett consoled P, calmed her fears, and prayed with and for P. On what turned out to be P's last inpatient stay, when there were no more fight options. When fear, uncertainty, and darkness again gripped P, Ms. Garnett came into P's room and she and P had a nice talk that I did not witness. P was different after that, calm and more accepting of the transition to Hospice. When Ms. Garnett left, P took a nap, was medicated, and transferred to Hospice. That talk was the last real conversation P was able to have with anyone. She slept, finally completely pain-free, and passed into the hands of the Lord four days later.
Ms. Garnett was there near the beginning and near the end of P's journey. I firmly believe that journey would have been both shortened and dark had Ms. Garnett not been with P during that event. I know P's very life was blessed and enhanced, in spite of her disease, as a result of Ms. Garnett's loving care and attention.
One night, Ms. Garnett came into P's room, noting that P was overcome with fear and darkness, asked her permission, and said the most heartwarming words ever spoken. That event changed the course of P's journey into cancer treatment, instilling a reason to fight, to go on, something she had not been able to do on her own.
Chemotherapy began shortly after, also at St Thomas Midtown, first one protocol, then another, and during that time Ms. Garnett became one of the nurses in the Infusion Center. Ms. Garnett continued to encourage and support P during the two year period. In February 2021, during an inpatient admission to the Oncology Unit, Ms. Garnett was in P's room upon return from a failed procedure that triggered a sudden transition to palliative-only care. Ms. Garnett consoled P, calmed her fears, and prayed with and for P. On what turned out to be P's last inpatient stay, when there were no more fight options. When fear, uncertainty, and darkness again gripped P, Ms. Garnett came into P's room and she and P had a nice talk that I did not witness. P was different after that, calm and more accepting of the transition to Hospice. When Ms. Garnett left, P took a nap, was medicated, and transferred to Hospice. That talk was the last real conversation P was able to have with anyone. She slept, finally completely pain-free, and passed into the hands of the Lord four days later.
Ms. Garnett was there near the beginning and near the end of P's journey. I firmly believe that journey would have been both shortened and dark had Ms. Garnett not been with P during that event. I know P's very life was blessed and enhanced, in spite of her disease, as a result of Ms. Garnett's loving care and attention.