Bella Edler
June 2021
Isabella
Edler
,
BSN, RN
Neurotrauma ICU
University of Maryland Medical Center, Downtown Campus
Baltimore
,
MD
United States
When my role changed from nurse to family member, from composed professional to grieving sister, Bella allowed me to let my guard down and truly grieve my brother. I felt safe.
I received a telephone call one evening from a police officer notifying me that my young brother was in critical condition due to a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. My sister and I immediately traveled from New York to Baltimore to be at our younger brother’s bedside. It was almost midnight when we arrived and we were greeted by Bella, his night nurse. She was warm, welcoming, calm and so incredibly compassionate under the most painful of circumstances. I am a critical care nurse in NYC and I expected to be that defensive family member who becomes fiercely protective of their loved one. Instead, Bella allowed me to be a grieving family member and I was able to focus on my final moments with my sibling. My brother’s condition was futile, yet she continued to provide him with delicate and exceptional care. Not only did she take care of my brother, but she also took care of my sister and me.
Our first night in the hospital was a nightmare, but Bella was by our side. I fell asleep holding my brother’s hand and woke up to a blanket that Bella had wrapped around me. When my role changed from nurse to family member, from composed professional to grieving sister, Bella allowed me to let my guard down and truly grieve my brother. I felt safe. My sister and I felt safe leaving my baby brother in Bella’s care. We were able to spend his last moments in peace. Bella was respectful of our space and allowed me to provide basic care to my brother so that I could show him a few last acts of my love. Around midnight on his 19th birthday, we took my brother off of life support after being pronounced brain dead. Bella was by our side. She made him a happy birthday sign, she indulged us by looking at photos and listening to stories and she even took his fingerprints so that we could take that little piece of him home.
During such a traumatic and unbelievably painful time, Bella made sure that she attended to all of our needs. I had every intention of assisting with post-mortem care, but instead, I left my brother in Bella’s hands because I trusted her. While my sister and I walked out of the hospital without our sibling, we also left Baltimore incredibly grateful to Bella. Words can never describe how much her kind acts meant to us during the worst day of our lives. Bella gave us strength when we ran out, she brought smiles to our faces during a dark time, my sister and I will never forget her, she is truly an exceptional nurse.
Our first night in the hospital was a nightmare, but Bella was by our side. I fell asleep holding my brother’s hand and woke up to a blanket that Bella had wrapped around me. When my role changed from nurse to family member, from composed professional to grieving sister, Bella allowed me to let my guard down and truly grieve my brother. I felt safe. My sister and I felt safe leaving my baby brother in Bella’s care. We were able to spend his last moments in peace. Bella was respectful of our space and allowed me to provide basic care to my brother so that I could show him a few last acts of my love. Around midnight on his 19th birthday, we took my brother off of life support after being pronounced brain dead. Bella was by our side. She made him a happy birthday sign, she indulged us by looking at photos and listening to stories and she even took his fingerprints so that we could take that little piece of him home.
During such a traumatic and unbelievably painful time, Bella made sure that she attended to all of our needs. I had every intention of assisting with post-mortem care, but instead, I left my brother in Bella’s hands because I trusted her. While my sister and I walked out of the hospital without our sibling, we also left Baltimore incredibly grateful to Bella. Words can never describe how much her kind acts meant to us during the worst day of our lives. Bella gave us strength when we ran out, she brought smiles to our faces during a dark time, my sister and I will never forget her, she is truly an exceptional nurse.