Leigh K. McNamara
July 2021
Leigh
Mcnamara
,
RN
ED
Maine Medical Center
Portland
,
ME
United States
This nomination is titled- Love, Laughter, and Leigh- because that is what she provided my mother. A seamless blend of compassion, leadership, and excellence.
Love, Laughter, and Leigh: Any other day in May would have been simple, but in May, things changed. I was speaking with my mother, and discovered she was struggling to breathe. I had spent the last three years of my mother’s life as her closest support person. We knew her time with us was closing, and Leigh showed us kindness, perfect care, and gave me the gift of being a daughter, not a nurse. I will be forever thankful for Leigh’s attention to detail and compassionate care. My mother and I had many conversations about what she wanted the end of her life to look like. She didn’t want any big machines or to feel frightened. In those few hours in the Critical Care Room, Leigh seamlessly played gatekeeper. It was Leigh’s clinical excellence, balanced with compassion for my mother’s wishes, that kept my mother protected from any uncomfortable treatments. When my mother became uncomfortable on bi-pap, Leigh took the time to talk to her. She told my mother what the machine was, why it was helpful, and then gave her the choice to put it back on or not. Besides the expert care Leigh provided for my mother, she was everything I needed. Leigh was attentive to my needs. I was trying to manage my calendar, knowing I would need to change my meetings. Once and a while she would ask, “Is that something that needs to be done today?” It was never a hard tone, but an honest question. She knew I was trying to balance my life, my mother, and my own need to process what was going on. When my mother started to stabilize-ish, and we knew she would likely be with us for a few more days, Leigh encouraged me to go home. She had invited me to stay as long as I needed, but that it was just as important for mom to be cared for, as it was for me to sleep, and prepare for the next few days. I don’t think I could have left my mother if I didn’t know I could trust Leigh to call me. I knew she would keep me informed. I knew Leigh would care for my mother. Leadership isn’t always about caring for the patients, sometimes it means encouraging the ‘worried nurse daughter’ to rest. This nomination is titled- Love, Laughter, and Leigh- because that is what she provided my mother. A seamless blend of compassion, leadership, and excellence. All of which permitted me to start the last chapter of my story with my mother. My mother had a great sense of humor. Often waiting for the perfect time to slip in a one-liner, cuss, or just say it like it was. For those few hours, Leigh felt like family. Part of our team, trying to meet the needs of my mom.