Roxanna Hinojosa
February 2021
Roxanna
Hinojosa
,
RN
Post-Surgical Unit
Mission Regional Medical Center
Roxy had stayed with her the entire time because she could tell mom was worried. They had also decorated the breathing exercise instrument with cute farm animal stickers and colored a picture of a cow.
My 83-year-old mom with advanced dementia and Alzheimer's had been in the hospital for almost a week; that stay was to last over twenty days. I was so thankful to be able to stay with her during the day as her dementia made the new and constantly changing environment very agitating for her.
This particular day had been long and tedious because the surgery we had expected was delayed as a precaution. My mother was tired and agitated so the nurses assigned to her searched around for some things for us to do in the room together to pass the time. Coloring books, stickers, and crayons were found in the pediatric wing and it helped a lot. But after hours of waiting, I finally needed to go grab a bite of lunch and have a break. I alerted our RN, Roxy, that I was stepping out so that she could turn on the bed alarm (mom always wants to follow me when I leave the room).
I hurried to the cafeteria and had a quick salad and a moment to myself. When I came back into the room, I found Roxy all snuggled up on a chair right next to my mom with her rolling computer monitor cart pulled in close. They were looking at photo after photo of beautiful flowers and gardens from around the world on the computer screen, oohing and ahhhing in unison. Roxy had stayed with her the entire time because she could tell mom was worried. They had also decorated the breathing exercise instrument with cute farm animal stickers and colored a picture of a cow. My mom's face was aglow with happiness and I was instantly calmed.
I will never be able to adequately thank the nurses that have cared for mom this last week. Each one of them has been caring, thoughtful, and totally on top of my mom's care. They are gentle and kind with her hour after hour after hour. I owe such a depth of gratitude to Roxy and all the amazing staff at Mission Regional. Each and everyone... the custodians, the RNs and CNAs, the respiratory therapists, the physical therapists, the dietician, the floor manager, the doctors, and even the darn front entrance staff has been amazing. I cannot express enough the comfort of knowing that she is in the very best of hands. Thank you Roxy for taking the time and having the heart to calm an old woman AND her anxious daughter as well.
This particular day had been long and tedious because the surgery we had expected was delayed as a precaution. My mother was tired and agitated so the nurses assigned to her searched around for some things for us to do in the room together to pass the time. Coloring books, stickers, and crayons were found in the pediatric wing and it helped a lot. But after hours of waiting, I finally needed to go grab a bite of lunch and have a break. I alerted our RN, Roxy, that I was stepping out so that she could turn on the bed alarm (mom always wants to follow me when I leave the room).
I hurried to the cafeteria and had a quick salad and a moment to myself. When I came back into the room, I found Roxy all snuggled up on a chair right next to my mom with her rolling computer monitor cart pulled in close. They were looking at photo after photo of beautiful flowers and gardens from around the world on the computer screen, oohing and ahhhing in unison. Roxy had stayed with her the entire time because she could tell mom was worried. They had also decorated the breathing exercise instrument with cute farm animal stickers and colored a picture of a cow. My mom's face was aglow with happiness and I was instantly calmed.
I will never be able to adequately thank the nurses that have cared for mom this last week. Each one of them has been caring, thoughtful, and totally on top of my mom's care. They are gentle and kind with her hour after hour after hour. I owe such a depth of gratitude to Roxy and all the amazing staff at Mission Regional. Each and everyone... the custodians, the RNs and CNAs, the respiratory therapists, the physical therapists, the dietician, the floor manager, the doctors, and even the darn front entrance staff has been amazing. I cannot express enough the comfort of knowing that she is in the very best of hands. Thank you Roxy for taking the time and having the heart to calm an old woman AND her anxious daughter as well.