Ruby made such a positive impact on E's care. We had been with E for several days in the hospital when we met this nurse. She could tell we were beyond exhausted. She set up a small conference room with a recliner, pillows and a blanket. She encouraged me to rest for a few minutes, that she would be with E, and would come to get me if I was needed. This was the best nap; I could rest easy knowing this nurse was with E.
Throughout the shift, Ruby was E's nurse, she let me just be his wife. That was the first time in many weeks I have not felt like I needed to be his nurse and his wife. She is an angel. We had two, five-year-old grandsons visiting E.
E was very limited with the things he could eat. One evening E asked for a Jell-O. Ruby came back with three cups of Jell-O so the boys could eat with their granddaddy. She was also placing protective dressings for the Bipap mask on E's face; this mask was scary to the boys, so she cut off two little pieces of the dressings for the boys to hold and put on their hands so they would not be as frightened by the mask. These examples show how Ruby cared for not only E but the entire family.
We are transitioning into Hospice care, and we will always be grateful for the tender care, experienced clinical skills and tremendous compassion Ruby gave to the entire family. She walked alongside us during some of the most difficult times and days in our life. Ruby is an angel.