Mary Ellen Kerr, RN

A little bit of love goes a long way. My 13-year-old son had surgery yesterday. Mary Ellen Kerr showed up last night to introduce herself as his next nurse. She immediately wanted to know what we needed and how she could help. We were tired and mentally drained and didn’t even know what we needed. She came back with pillows and blankets and helped me turn my chair into a bed. She bustled around cleaning and organizing the room. She brought me and my son each a big water cup. She added a Cinderella sticker to mine and Thor to my sons so they wouldn’t get mixed up. Somehow she knew that I needed some care also at that moment. That night my son was in a lot of pain. She was constantly coming in, taking care of his meds, giving him heating pads, whatever it took until he could rest. As he cried out, she stood by him and comforted him, telling him he was brave, that it was a hard surgery, and that she was proud of him. She never wavered in her empathy, patience, and grace. She brought us exactly what we needed during a very hard time and made all the difference.