I would like to thank our overnight ICU nurse, Elizabeth "Liz" Musselman. It all started when we brought my 86 year old mom into the ER after we found her unconscious. My mom was transferred to the ICU unit where I can say every single nurse we encountered was lovely. We were lucky enough to have Liz the 4 nights we were in the ICU until my mom passed away. I cannot adequately explain the extraordinary efforts that she went to making us feel like my mom was the most important patient she ever had, knowing the outcome would not be good. She was so very kind and gentle with my mom and spoke to her every single time she came in to my mom's room, whether it was for pain med check, oxygen check and the hundred other tasks needed to be completed. She never failed to address my mom by name, and I can tell you my mom heard and it pleased her greatly.
She was so very kind to me, my children, my brothers, aunts and cousins along with nieces and nephews. She constantly asked if there was anything she could do for us or get for us. I am not even sure if we remembered our manners as we were in shock and scared to death that we knew the end was near, even though we were reluctant to accept it. And all through those long hard nights while we stayed and were probably in her way, she still took care of my mom as if she were her own mother. I cannot tell you how much that means, because no matter how old you are when your mom passes, it's an extremely deep grief because you are once again a child.
Liz, I would like to thank you from the bottom of our hearts, and I know there were many of us there from Chicago, Italy and Ireland. You made the most difficult time of our lives much easier to bear.
Slàinte (Note: Ireland term used as a drinking toast to wish somebody good health)