My mother was admitted to the Newport Samaritan ICU last month. While she was there she had an absolutely outstanding care team. Michelle Watson was part of the team and went above and beyond her call of duty. My family and I want to recognize Michelle for her authentic and deliberate compassion, patience, and thoughtfulness.
D was admitted to Samaritan Newport rather suddenly after waking up one morning with flu-like symptoms. She was in the ICU for one week while the team tried to figure out why her body was failing, after a week of intense pain for my mom, and decisions, emotions, and tears for our family the doctors recommended hospice care. Unfortunately, the hospice care staff was not able to help us get her home until after the weekend; my family had to stay in the hospital two more days around the clock through the weekend, exhausted, devastated and so sad.
Throughout this entire experience, Michelle was by D's side trying to make her comfortable. Whether it was a CD player she brought into the room with some classical music, talking to her gently, or checking in on us as we stood by in the room helplessly watching God take her slowly.
Even after we left Michelle's unit, and moved into another area of the hospital, Michelle would go out of her way to check on D and my family before and after her shifts. She also helped us understand what "Hospice" was and the process at which my mom's body would pass. Michelle let us know that the last sense to go is our hearing, and though my mom wasn't responsive much of the time, that she could still hear our words of love. Michelle took some of the fear away and made my mom's transition more manageable and peaceful for all of us.
Michelle is such an exceptional nurse and person, and she will always be in our memories as a "light" during a dark time when we needed someone to guide us and lift us up.