As you can imagine, this was an unexpected and very stressful time for our family. There are inherent differences when transitioning from the ICU, with one-on-one care, to another floor with more people and nursing staff coming and going. The family developed an immediate bond with Rae, which she reciprocated with her devoted presence. Quickly, we came to understand the delicate and precarious nature of his situation and recovery. Even though we were no longer in the ICU, not just my father-in-law, but all of us needed a more hands-on, individualized approach. He began a slow decline, which culminated around four weeks into his hospital stay.

 

We recognized that he responded best to Rae’s presence. Getting him to accept any nourishment and oral medications was essential for the possibility of moving to rehab and recovering. Rae made the effort to come in and feed him while he was awake, and she was always available to help us when he was conscious enough to communicate, eat, or drink. Initially, when his physician visited in the mornings, he did not see him at the time he was most alert. My father-in-law was notably motivated to engage when his grandson was present. Rae even bought my son a squish mellow pillow to share with his Pop, helping them both feel more comfortable. Those initial days were crucial for determining if he could improve. We noticed each time Rae was absent, he would decline. It was not due to inadequate care, but rather because Rae went above and beyond her duties. During her initial week with him, she injured her hand at work, making it extremely difficult and painful for her to feed and assist him with one functional hand. She even chose to work on some of her days off out of concern that he would regress. She helped us coordinate his care with the other nursing staff to ensure his needs were met in her absence.

 

After about two weeks, he began to decline further. All the while, there was a risk of developing pneumonia and other complications, which I believe we largely managed or avoided thanks to her expert care until his body's degeneration became unavoidable. He was given every chance to survive. It became clear to my husband and me that his father would not survive this event, but my mother-in-law had yet to come to terms with that conclusion. We all visited every day for as long as possible. Rae interacted with my mother-in-law delicately. She was a grieving wife in denial that her lifelong companion would soon depart. Rae often called and discussed his condition with the physician to help us consider what was best for his care. She and I had time for deep communication and bonding. She understood the anguish we were experiencing, especially my mother-in-law’s struggle to accept the sad reality. While peers urged Rae to be more direct, she remained kind and compassionate, allowing our family to internally reach a place of peace. Instead of moving to hospice, we could stay in our room under Rae’s care. This was significant for our family. We were all forced to accept a major change, and the Baptist Team recognized that remaining with Rae provided us the most comfort.

 

Death brings a certain finality, marking the end of our relationship with Rae. She was an angel to us. How do you begin to thank someone for the extraordinary kindness Rae showed us? Yes, she was doing her job, but it meant so much more. Of course, we expressed our gratitude, but what we received in return was priceless. We are eternally grateful for Rae. I hope every patient and family can have a Rae in their final days with their loved ones. In the post-COVID hospital environment, I sadly believe many patients and families feel like they are drifting alone on an island, left to navigate insurance complications, the care of their loved one, and bereavement arrangements. Rae truly deserves to be honored and recognized as one of the outstanding members of the nursing staff at Baptist.