Suzanne Barker
January 2024
Suzanne
Barker
,
BSN, RN
5 West
Corewell Health Troy Beaumont
Troy
,
MI
United States

 

 

 

When I often felt alone or overwhelmed, Suzanne was a shoulder to cry on. After some ups and downs with my mom’s prognosis, we made the difficult decision to put her on hospice, and Suzanne was a welcome, comforting presence during the most painful transition of my life.
My wonderful mom passed away at Troy Beaumont in November after a brief battle with cancer. I would not have survived losing my mom if it were not for Suzanne. My mom was brought in for what we thought was unresolved pneumonia, but we quickly learned that she had large, cancerous masses all over her body. Our world was completely turned upside down in a matter of hours. Suzanne was her first nurse when she was admitted to 5W. During the barrage of painful diagnostic tests, she was our fierce advocate. She ensured that I was given the opportunity to voice my opinions and concerns to the team of doctors caring for my mom. When Medicare refused to cover a diagnostic procedure that was important to me, Suzanne fought for hours to get it approved. When I often felt alone or overwhelmed, Suzanne was a shoulder to cry on. After some ups and downs with my mom’s prognosis, we made the difficult decision to put her on hospice, and Suzanne was a welcome, comforting presence during the most painful transition of my life. Throughout the rollercoaster of battling to save my mom, Suzanne was my only constant, even when she wasn’t assigned to my mom. I had voiced concerns over my anxiety about getting 'the call' at home at night. Without hesitation, she called my cell from every phone at the nurses' station so that I knew what to look for. When I headed home that night, not knowing it would be her last, Suzanne let me cry in her arms. While I’m overwhelmed by the prospect of living in a world without my mom, it brings me great comfort to know there are people like Suzanne in it.