A patient with an extremely recent diagnosis of lung cancer was admitted for a prolonged stay to sort out his complications. He was critically sick and alone in the hospital. Previous to his admission, he was a healthy middle-aged male working as a machinist for eight to twelve-hour days. He was transferred to the OR holding area awaiting a bronchoscopy with thoracic surgery. Upon arrival, it was clear he had no oral care during his admission, and he was about to go to the OR to have a scope placed down his mouth and into his lungs. The patient was going through alcohol withdrawal and was extremely anxious in the holding area. He was not combative but did require Ativan to avoid tremors. It was difficult to keep him calm, so the holding nurses were unable to do oral care. She took the patient back to the OR, gave him sedation, then performed very thorough oral care with three toothbrushes and suction and shaved his face and neck so he woke up cleaner and more cared for then when he went into surgery. This is a perfect example of how the nurse consistently recognizes patients in need regardless of drug, alcohol, or psychiatric problems and delivers compassionate care. Many nurses passed on the opportunity to help this gentleman with the basic self-care, tasks of brushing his teeth and shaving, a very basic act that helps patients feel "human" again. Too often, patients with psychiatric, drug, and alcohol dependency issues are brushed aside and given the bare minimum of bedside care. This nurse is truly one of the smartest, most compassionate, big-hearted, and best nurses we have in anesthesia. It is a privilege to work with her every day.