I had taken two rounds of chemo and asked what was next. The Dr. said my mutated gene was not favorable for a bone marrow transplant. I was scared, and confused. I had bonded with Tammy because she reminded me of a neighbor that I had and trusted. I asked her to please come in and help my family decide what was the best next step for me. She came as we were having a family meeting and asked if she could talk freely in front of the family, and we said of course! That is what we wanted! So she explained more about my cancer and how the next steps would go and talked to us about the odds of what would work best for me, and by the end of her education with us, we were all in tears. From relief of getting the true facts from a medical professional who had won our trust and hearts. I always teasingly called her J, after my friend and neighbor. They looked a lot alike. I felt like I was with a trusted friend.

After she left...our family made the decision to take me home and let me live my best life with the ones I loved. Family, friends, neighbors, and our church family. I thrived at home. My blood counts got better and now I am ready to begin maintenance chemo. Tammy was the turning point for me in clearing my head of fear and making the right decision for our family. I will always be grateful to her and hold a special place in my heart for her and her kindness. The nurses on the 5th-floor oncology were also the kindest and most caring staff I could have asked for. Thank you all for taking the best care possible of me and my family!!!! Cancer is still a horrific disease, but with the help of Drs., nurses, and all other staff, I wouldn't have had the chance to be here today. Tammy, thank you for making a horrible, scary situation the best it could be. I intend to spend the rest of my life, however long it might be, paying the kindness and caring attitude I learned at MGMC forward. Thank you!!!!

Note: This is Tammy's 2nd DAISY Award!