Not all angels wear wings; some wear scrubs. Peighton, RN, ICU, MMCN Girl - your headbands and makeup caught my attention from the very start, but it's your kindness and calm nature that truly won me over. I knew from the moment I had a simple interaction with you that you would play a huge role in my grandmother's hospital stay. It wasn’t like you reached out and physically hugged me, but it was as if you understood that I was so heartbroken right from the start.

My grandmother has always been a huge part of my life. I can remember staying with her during the summers when my parents worked, and sometimes - even after I’d stayed there all day long, I wanted to stay longer. I’d beg to stay a little longer. I never wanted for anything at my grandma's house. The only rule I think she ever had was to be quiet during her soap operas, which I obliged. We never had to worry about what we’d eat. We never had to worry about her not having our favorite snacks or drinks. My grandma is witty, to a fault, maybe. She never complains, even if she should. She was a career banker, a mathematical genius. She loves Braves baseball, Solitaire, her soap operas, and all of us. A little gossip never hurt anybody, either. She was a good cook, as long as you weren’t trying to lose any weight. She didn’t care if we made a mess in her house. I never remember her telling me no. She lived a life of opposites from start to finish. She was born without electricity and indoor plumbing, and now she has Facebook on her iPhone. She lived back when people had to trade items they had for groceries to survive, and now she can have anything she pleases and have it delivered to her door. My grandma has outlived her husband and both of her children. She has buried two of her siblings already. She used to say she didn’t understand why younger people had to pass away, and she was still here. And I always told her, 'You are here because of us.' We still need you.

I’m writing this to you from a heart full of gratitude. Thank you for being kind when I walked out to the nurse's station to ask questions. Thank you for telling me I could go home and rest and that you had it from here. Thank you for reassuring me that you’d call me if things took a turn. Thank you for never making me feel crazy when I felt absolutely bonkers. Thank you for treating her with dignity, even when she didn’t know you were in the room. Thank you for attending nursing school and dedicating all those hours, days, and months to studying, then playing such a pivotal part in the lives of all your patients. All nurses are not the same, but oh, how I wish they could be cut from your clothes. I can’t thank you enough for just showing up and doing your job, for being a smiling face when I needed one the most, and for helping my grandmother along on this wild rollercoaster of a health journey. To you, she’s just another patient and another 12-hour shift. To me, she is the last piece of my dad here on Earth, the most special person to me, my grandmother. I hope that if you ever feel burned out, you’ll remember that all your blood, sweat, and tears mean everything to the families of the patients you care for. The days would have been darker and lonelier without you there to listen and care. I can’t thank you enough. I am truly beyond grateful.