My dad was admitted to Community Medical Center with what I thought was low blood sugar but turned out to be far worse, a massive brain bleed. I was in total shock because besides his diabetes, he did not have any other major health issues. Additionally, we had just lost my mom only a year earlier and I had a five-month-old, so this was a very surreal time for me.
There was a lot of confusion, a devastating diagnosis, multiple doctors... yet through it all, there was this one nurse, Christine, who was literally my guiding light, an angel if you will. I don't know what I would have done without her.
Christine treated my dad with dignity, kindness, and compassion. She treated him gently, the way she would have treated a family member, even asking me if she could shave him. I was so grateful and I know my dad was too, as I am sure he could hear us because when I would ask him questions or talk to him, he would make a noise back. I did not worry about the care my dad would get when Christine was his nurse.
I was feeling conflicted and overwhelmed when faced with determining difficult decisions.
When Christine noticed I was becoming upset, she explained things to me without pressuring me into decisions I was not adequately prepared or informed to immediately decide.
I have had more than my share of contact with doctors and nurses at various hospitals due to my mom's long illness and I have never met a nurse like Christine. She treated both me and my dad with respect and patience. She always kept me abreast of everything that was going on with his care and I never had to seek her out to ask questions, which would have taken away from the precious time I had left with my dad.
When my dad was getting weaker, she called and left me a message early in the morning (I still have the voicemail). When I arrived, Christine was there, even staying after her shift that morning after my dad passed. Sometimes nurses are rotated between patients and I was grateful to have Christine consistently, especially through such a traumatic time. I needed that stability because the consistency and stability in my life had been ripped away. Christine is special and has this very peaceful way about her.
It took me over a year to the day to write this letter... that is how painful it was for me. There hasn't been a day that has gone by where I have not thought of Christine and smiled. She is amazing! There aren't words to express what she did for my dad and me. She is the bright spot in this tragedy and my dad would have absolutely LOVED her! We were so fortunate to have had her present during the last days of my dad's life.