January 2015
Mary
Weems
,
RN
Rehabilitation
Shepherd Center
Atlanta
,
GA
United States
My best friend in the world, M, was admitted to Shepherd ABI after a brain cancer diagnosis and subsequent surgery to remove the tumor rendered her unable to walk and with significant deficits. I first met Mary Weems during M's stays at Shepherd and there were several. Mary was not M's direct nurse, but she was always so friendly and upbeat, M and all of her family members were drawn to her. She always had a big smile and friendly greeting for all the patient's family members and visitors even if she was not assigned to them directly. She always went out of her way to help the patients maintain their dignity during the most difficult of circumstances. She would sing with M and shave the faces of patients that were not her own. She somehow understood that this meant something to them. She was always cheerful and she always made everyone around her feel special.
When I really had the full Mary Weems, RN experience to the fullest, is when my dear friend M came home and required 24 hour nursing homecare. Mary was with M 2 days a week Mondays and Wednesdays. I don't know where to begin. Mary was M's favorite nurse. Mary was M's family including her 3 children's favorite nurse and Mary was my favorite nurse and became my friend. Mary was the most attentive, most positive, most uplifting, knowledgeable, fun nurse we had on the rotation. She was patient with us as we processed and moved through this terrible disease. She would answer our questions. She would console and comfort us. She could get M to laugh like no one else could. She allowed us to participate in M's care of bathing her and taking her to the restroom and she never made us feel we were in her way. She intuitively knew when M needed to be alone with one of her friends or family and she was fiercely protective when M needed privacy and quiet and escape from various visitors. She connected with her on such a personal level and made M feel so safe and cared for.
Her medical knowledge was unsurpassed compared to any of the other private duty nurses or techs
and she constantly managed M's care, medical interventions and comfort and coordinating and communicated with the other nurses. She was the most fun and the nurse we all felt the most safe with and we scheduled our outings only on days when Mary was working. When Mary became our angel was when the decision was made to stop treatment and when M would enter home hospice, Mary became our lifeline. She kept us all going. She took such loving care of Margaret and went above and beyond what any other nurse or tech did for her. She always made sure she had the correct meds and managed when the meds needed to be decreased.
She knew that M was always very cognizant of her appearance and she always bathed her with the most loving care. She always dressed her in something pretty and did her makeup and her hair (the little bit that was left of it). She did these things every day until the day M passed. It is no surprise that Mary was the very last nurse to be with M and me the last day of her life. She passed late that night. The last few months of M's life were excruciatingly painful for all of the family members. She lingered long after the Doctors expected her to and she was disabled and in bed for two months in and out of consciousness. Mary never stopped taking care of her and loving her. Bathing her and adjusting her meds for comfort. She played music and sang with her. But the gift she gave to me personally was beyond measure. She held my hand through one of the most painful experiences of my life. I would enter my best friend's room with almost no emotional strength left, and Mary would ALWAYS lift my spirits and make me laugh. She would answer my questions and console me. She provided so much comfort and strength. She did the same for M's 3 children and everyone loved it when Mary was there.
Mary helped each of us face the saddest most heartbreaking time of any of our lives. Mary is a true angel. She deserves so much recognition and I hope and pray that you will provide the honor and tribute she so deserves for the extraordinary care she has provided for our dear M and for all of us who loved her.
When I really had the full Mary Weems, RN experience to the fullest, is when my dear friend M came home and required 24 hour nursing homecare. Mary was with M 2 days a week Mondays and Wednesdays. I don't know where to begin. Mary was M's favorite nurse. Mary was M's family including her 3 children's favorite nurse and Mary was my favorite nurse and became my friend. Mary was the most attentive, most positive, most uplifting, knowledgeable, fun nurse we had on the rotation. She was patient with us as we processed and moved through this terrible disease. She would answer our questions. She would console and comfort us. She could get M to laugh like no one else could. She allowed us to participate in M's care of bathing her and taking her to the restroom and she never made us feel we were in her way. She intuitively knew when M needed to be alone with one of her friends or family and she was fiercely protective when M needed privacy and quiet and escape from various visitors. She connected with her on such a personal level and made M feel so safe and cared for.
Her medical knowledge was unsurpassed compared to any of the other private duty nurses or techs
and she constantly managed M's care, medical interventions and comfort and coordinating and communicated with the other nurses. She was the most fun and the nurse we all felt the most safe with and we scheduled our outings only on days when Mary was working. When Mary became our angel was when the decision was made to stop treatment and when M would enter home hospice, Mary became our lifeline. She kept us all going. She took such loving care of Margaret and went above and beyond what any other nurse or tech did for her. She always made sure she had the correct meds and managed when the meds needed to be decreased.
She knew that M was always very cognizant of her appearance and she always bathed her with the most loving care. She always dressed her in something pretty and did her makeup and her hair (the little bit that was left of it). She did these things every day until the day M passed. It is no surprise that Mary was the very last nurse to be with M and me the last day of her life. She passed late that night. The last few months of M's life were excruciatingly painful for all of the family members. She lingered long after the Doctors expected her to and she was disabled and in bed for two months in and out of consciousness. Mary never stopped taking care of her and loving her. Bathing her and adjusting her meds for comfort. She played music and sang with her. But the gift she gave to me personally was beyond measure. She held my hand through one of the most painful experiences of my life. I would enter my best friend's room with almost no emotional strength left, and Mary would ALWAYS lift my spirits and make me laugh. She would answer my questions and console me. She provided so much comfort and strength. She did the same for M's 3 children and everyone loved it when Mary was there.
Mary helped each of us face the saddest most heartbreaking time of any of our lives. Mary is a true angel. She deserves so much recognition and I hope and pray that you will provide the honor and tribute she so deserves for the extraordinary care she has provided for our dear M and for all of us who loved her.