Sharon has been a blessing for my son and family for almost a decade. My son A has autism and like many children with this condition can and has been very difficult to communicate with and convince to cooperate with what most would consider a routine visit to their doctor for a physical, sore throat, cold etc. Prior to Sharon's arrival it would not be unusual to see A sprinting down the hallway of Family Practice screaming at the mere sight of a provider in a white coat. His blood curdling screams would have made him a candidate for the main character in a horror movie! We dreaded the moment when the doctor would indicate that he wanted some blood drawn, as it generally took 4 people to hold him down and one to draw his blood. I can't tell you how many times a nurse would just give up and tell the doctor it couldn't be done, but then that all changed.
Make no mistake Sharon is amazing, but there wasn't an immediate transformation. Over time, however, she was able to develop a rapport with A that remains to this day. She exuded confidence, calmness, and compassion which soothed A when he was agitated and allowed him to trust that they could work through the visit together. Eventually, A was able to have his blood drawn with just myself and Sharon present and we didn't have to pry him off the door frame to get him into the exam room. Now, just over 20 years old, A is able to sit calmly in the lab without a fuss and happily goes to visit "Miss Sharon" when he has a scheduled appointment.
Sharon, I salute and thank you for your extraordinary and exemplary demonstration of the Art of Nursing. Your patience, kindness, wiping of tears, answering of frantic phone calls, placing of innumerable consults, and tolerance of tantrums, doldrums, and other erratic behavior will never be forgotten. Thank you and God bless you always!