I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to Ashley as she is a truly special nurse who cared for my husband, B, during his last days of life. He passed away in April in the 7th floor Cornerstone Hospice unit where he was moved on the previous afternoon. However, Ashley cared for B prior on the 5th floor Vascular unit. She was compassionate, caring, patient, cheerful, and always made us feel that he was important. He was in her care for just a short time, but our interactions with her were unforgettable. I cannot express my everlasting gratitude to Ashley for going above and beyond for our family in light of the visitor restrictions that were in place at the time.
Knowing that my husband was failing fast, Ashley went through the proper channels and received permission for our son to see his father on the last morning he was conscious and able to interact with him. My husband absolutely lit up when he saw his son enter his hospital room and my son had a chance to see and talk with his dad face-to-face in his last hours of consciousness. Even though my husband was being treated for cancer, we had no idea that this trip to the hospital just the week before would be the end of his life.
Ashley's thoughtfulness, compassion, and initiative to take action gave our family the chance to be together in the last few hours my husband was still awake, talking, and being himself. Even though he didn't pass away until the next evening, B was literally lost to us that afternoon due to medications and his rapidly failing health, so that Friday morning visit meant the world to us. Because of Ashley, our family had those precious moments together when it mattered, when my husband and son could hug, and tell each other how much they loved each other. We were able to be together as a family and support each other in this worst, possible time.
It takes a special person to work in a hospital day after day and still see each patient as an individual and recognize what each family is going through. Ashley was not only that person for us, she took it the extra step by taking action to try to lighten our family's loss in the only way she could. I am eternally grateful to her and hope that the hospital realizes what an asset they have in counting Ashley among its nursing staff. Ashley is definitely an Extraordinary Nurse.