May 2022
Grace
Oriale
,
BSN, MSN, Orthopedic Nursing Certification
Float Pool
AdventHealth Altamonte
Altamonte Springs
,
FL
United States
This woman is absolutely amazing.
My sister & I first met this nurse in July when my sister was first admitted to the hospital with Stage IV non-small cell lung cancer. The nurse immediately took a special interest in my sister’s health and had a special way of encouraging her to stay strong. She explained that she was a traveling nurse from Jamaica, so we didn’t think we would ever see her again, but we told everyone how precious she was that week we spent in the hospital. Fast forward to September, my sister was in a different hospital within the network. We asked for this nurse but knew she traveled. After a week or so, she appeared. My sister barely ate for a week as the cancer was at that point starting to consume her. This nurse gave her a special talk & words of encouragement as only she can, and miracles of miracles, my sister ate more after she left the room than I had seen her eat in days. This nurse is more than a moniker but a way of interacting with patients. I have never seen anything like this woman, only read about them in the Bible. Finally, on the final day of the weeks/months-long stay in the hospital, who do you think was assigned to my sister’s room? Angel Nurse! Yep! Our journey started & ended with this nurse! She encouraged my sister to fight the good fight as we were taking her home to hospice care. She even offered to give up her own lunch hour to come eat in my sister’s room to have a contest with her to see who could “finish lunch first.” C’mon, who does this? As stressful of a job as oncology nursing must be & to offer to give up your respite for the day- unbelievable- but totally believable if you have met this nurse. The story doesn’t end there. As my sister checked out, this nurse brought her soup to take home to eat. My sister died the next day at home very suddenly. This nurse called on Saturday, not knowing she had passed, to check on my sister and to make sure she was eating. This woman is absolutely amazing. Not all angels have wings, and she is certainly doing God’s work. She was our saving Place.