Have you ever felt frightened, alone and isolated, and needed safety, comfort or a healing hand? When I arrived at St. Francis, I needed a caring team of people to help me address exhaustion and stress of work, and the negative noise that is slowly driving our country apart. I had nor do I have any intention of hurting myself or any other human beings, but was looking/searching for healing hands that might aid me and my family on this Holiday weekend. But as fate would have it, I learned I most likely contracted COVID 19 on a business trip. What was a deep-seated feeling became reality.

I had to isolate, I was afraid (with so many random shootings) and most of all, I was alone. Still very much frightened, Pooja walked in my room. This woman said to me “It is going to be okay. Smell the roses and blow out the candles.” She offered me breathing exercises along with the right med to calm me down. Just as her shift came to a close, she passed me to a team of other nurses and techs that are heroes in my book. Crying, she put one hand on me and said, “You know what my name means?” … it means prayer.” The tears really began to flow. Pooja’s name reminds of my cultural heritage of black women and men who use guilts as symbolic prayers. Knowing her name gave me so much Hope. She, along with the team, exemplifies “alleviating human suffering and bringing people to wholeness.”