Recently, a patient came to our clinic with fear related to her prior experience, as well as the scary results she had learned from the scans/biopsy of her lungs. Additionally, she was having pain and is unable to take pain meds. Her extreme anxiety became a barrier for her radiation and chemo treatments. She required nearly daily coaching from our team. Towards the end of treatment, she was really ready to throw in the towel—and this is where Delmis stepped in to give her the compassion she needed.
Delmis coached and cheered her through the end of her treatment. I often found him sitting in the lobby with the patient and her husband just chatting, keeping her mind off her anxiety. I overheard him day after day on the phone with her, caring for her as if she were a member of his own family. When logic seemed to fail, Delmis turned on his "Donald Duck" voice and the patient's tone would resolve into a smile or laugh.
Delmis has a propensity for the technical/diagnostic portion of our patients' treatments. He takes time to review scans and diagnostic tests with the physician so that he has a clear understanding of the physiology of the patient's cancer, as well as treatment and side effects. With this particular patient, he spent a great deal of time teaching her, supporting her, caring for her, and being as compassionate and understanding as a person could possibly be.
And when she left the department on her last day of treatment and she banged the gong (a rite of passage for patients when they finish radiation), she cried and hugged Delmis and expressed her absolute appreciation for the care she received. Certainly there were many in this department who helped this patient through. But the kind, caring compassion exhibited by Delmis makes me very certain he is a DAISY nurse!