January 2022
Anne
Lanka
,
BSN, RN
6-3
Silver Cross Hospital
New Lenox
,
IL
United States
To this day it brings me to tears the look he’d get of calmness when Anne would come into the room.
I met Anne one morning as my father was dying of cancer. My father along with my family struggled to grip the information that he was dying. My dad was experiencing sundowners in the hospital, and he was so frightened. With COVID none of us could stay and Anne was his savior. She knew how to settle him down when he was starting to lose his sanity in the evening. It was so frightening for him and he would call her his angel. I saw the patience and care she had for Dad, to this day it brings me to tears the look he’d get of calmness when she’d come into the room. She was so kind to sit with him and talk to keep him from panicking at night. Anne phoned me in the morning to come because she felt it was possibly going to be soon that he would be leaving us. She was right. I had only a few hours to hold my dad's hand and tell him how much I loved him, along with the rest of my family. She even gave me her number to keep her posted on dad's journey before she left on vacation. I know of nobody who cares as she did. Not only was she dad's angel, but she was also mine as well. I will never forget her. I would like to nominate Anne as not only a wonderful nurse but a fantastic human being who made an impact on me and my family. Thank you, Anne.