Robin Phillips
May 2021
Robin
Phillips
,
BSN, RN
Stony Point Hematology Oncology Clinic
VCU Health
Richmond
,
VA
United States
Even when she wasn’t my assigned nurse, Robin would come in and chat with me during her downtime. I truly cherished these moments.
Robin has been my rock this past year as I have battled breast cancer. My entire world was rocked and for a few weeks, I felt like I was just in “survival mode”- barely making it day-to-day. With so many doctor appointments, scans, and talks about what’s to come, I was drowning. Then I met Robin. She was a ray of sunshine in a really dark world. Robin would always ask how I was feeling, and she really listened. She truly cared about how I was doing. She encouraged me throughout every treatment; I actually looked forward to chemo days because I knew I’d see Robin.
Even when she wasn’t my assigned nurse, Robin would come in and chat with me during her downtime. I truly cherished these moments. During COVID, my husband wasn’t able to sit with me during treatments, so I became close with the team. One particular day, I was hanging on by a thread. I had a smile on the exterior but inside I was feeling sorry for myself. Radiation had taken a huge hit to my positive outlook. Robin checked in on me as usual and immediately knew I was off my game. She sat down with me and reassured me I was allowed to have bad days. I was carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders, trying to be positive for my family, coworkers, and friends. I just needed someone to justify my feelings and let me know it’s ok to feel bummed and angry.
Robin read through the painted smile and took a moment to pull out my true feelings. She could’ve had a busy patient assignment that day, but she made me feel like I was the only patient. After a long year and 17 treatments later, I got to ring the bell last week! Robin was front and center as the team cheered me on. I cried tears of joy for being cancer-free, but I also cried tears of sadness because I’ll be closing this chapter of seeing Robin and the Hem/Onc team at Stony Point. When you go through cancer, it takes a really special person to lift you up through the hard times and I’m grateful that Robin was mine! I always joke that this team saved my life, but they really did! Between the chemo cocktail, the constant encouragement, and their endless support, these team members cured my cancer.
Even when she wasn’t my assigned nurse, Robin would come in and chat with me during her downtime. I truly cherished these moments. During COVID, my husband wasn’t able to sit with me during treatments, so I became close with the team. One particular day, I was hanging on by a thread. I had a smile on the exterior but inside I was feeling sorry for myself. Radiation had taken a huge hit to my positive outlook. Robin checked in on me as usual and immediately knew I was off my game. She sat down with me and reassured me I was allowed to have bad days. I was carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders, trying to be positive for my family, coworkers, and friends. I just needed someone to justify my feelings and let me know it’s ok to feel bummed and angry.
Robin read through the painted smile and took a moment to pull out my true feelings. She could’ve had a busy patient assignment that day, but she made me feel like I was the only patient. After a long year and 17 treatments later, I got to ring the bell last week! Robin was front and center as the team cheered me on. I cried tears of joy for being cancer-free, but I also cried tears of sadness because I’ll be closing this chapter of seeing Robin and the Hem/Onc team at Stony Point. When you go through cancer, it takes a really special person to lift you up through the hard times and I’m grateful that Robin was mine! I always joke that this team saved my life, but they really did! Between the chemo cocktail, the constant encouragement, and their endless support, these team members cured my cancer.