Jenny was my dad's Neuro ICU nurse after his brain operation to remove a tumor. She would greet him upon entering his room and tell him what she was about to do, apologizing in advance if she hurt him in the process. A connection began to form between the two of them he would smile each time Jenny entered his room to check on him. He told Jenny that she reminded him of his granddaughter and proceeded to give her grandfatherly advice.
A week after his release from the Neuro ICU dad was re-admitted. His condition worsened. The ICU staff who took care of him were surprised to see him back in so soon. Earlier he joked that he was "going to the moon" when they would send him for an MRI. They remembered him. My dad was on a breathing tube now and had to be suctioned quite often. Jenny was assigned to my father at that point and she remembered him from his first stay in the ICU. At this point my dad's right eye would not open and he was paralyzed on the left side and in his legs and was not responding to our voices.
However, Jenny would come into his room and call his name and he would immediately open his eye. She would tell him what she was about to do whether suctioning him with gentleness or turning him, she would do all these things carefully. She also looked after him and moved him and his pillows to help keep him comfortable. She would also answer all my mother's or my questions regarding the condition of my dad. Jenny would clean him up and change his gown she would also notice that he was sweating and put a towel on his neck to cool him. My dad would answer Jenny's questions with a thumbs-up which would bring a smile to all who were present.
As dad's condition worsened, tears were flowing more often. Jenny had an ample supply of tissue and kind words to say, and dad would still respond to Jenny's voice by opening his eye for her. When the last rites were being given, she was there to give the family moral support.
When Jenny said goodbye to my dad she said she would be off for a few days but would be back, my dad opened his eyes for the last time.
When the tubes were taken out and his time had come, dad was taken to hospice. Jenny came to visit him there to say goodbye to him one last time. She hugged my mom and told her she would not forget the man that said he went to the moon while he was in his MRI.
If in the future Jenny wants to teach nursing; she would be a great asset to the nursing program but a real loss to the patients in the neuro ICU. Many blessings and thanks to nurse Jenny.