Our family was in the midst of the worst storm we could imagine. We lost my sister to breast cancer in Sept. 2019. Just 8 months later, my brother, S, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. When it was found, he was already in Stage 4 and his kidneys were no longer functioning. In just a matter of months, he went from okay to Stage 4. We were all in various stages of the grieving process. The worst storm we could imagine. Terrifying. Then came Nicole, who became one of my brother's primary care nurses during his initial entry into the world of dialysis. Nicole was our calm in the storm. She looked for ways to ease his suffering while also answering our many questions and she did it with compassion and caring. When she did not know an answer, she said so, but she also got the answer for us. That extra step was so important to prevent us from obsessing on something that was explainable. At one point, the tension level was very high. It had been a tough day. Suddenly, my brother started quoting Will Farrell from Talladega Nights, word for word. Nicole chimed right in, while also continuing to give his shots and pills, and laughed right along with the rest of us. It was hilarious! More importantly, it was exactly what my family needed just then. At that moment, Nicole became part of our family.
I have a niece who is currently in nursing school. I pray that she is fortunate enough to have a mentor like Nicole someday. Please honor this special and deserving servant in any way you can.