Mindy Shell
April 2023
Mindy
Shell
,
RN
CCU
NW Delnor Hospital
Geneva
,
IL
United States
When no one was looking and no cares or meds needed to be done she just held his hand because that is what was needed.
Yesterday when I went to visit Grandpa S to bring him some photos for his birthday card (he turned 89 recently) I walked into his room to see Mindy at his bedside holding his hand. As soon as she saw me she shared that she thought he was passing. They had let his daughter know who is POA but she was not sure she would be able to make it from work and so Mindy was holding his hand and comforting him since no one was there to be with him while he passed. She stepped aside to let me hold his hand and give me space while letting me know she was still there if I needed her.
The intensivist then came in to give me an update. None of this was easy for my mother-in-law she had him as full code and was adamant he was going to get stronger so he could be at home with his wife. She had to make the same tough decisions she made in 2019. The doctor told me when speaking with her how she was doing the best she could for her dad, she made the hard decisions, and that she was doing the right thing. I am sure he has said that many times before but when my mother-in-law called and I told her that I was there and he was passing and it was going to be real soon I was able to share what he said and I know it brought her comfort. She wasn’t sure she was doing the right thing and expressing the doctor's kind words meant a lot.
When he did finally pass Mindy let me know and got the doctor to confirm and then gave me time to say goodbye.
He passed about 15 minutes after I got there but knowing that if no one was there Mindy would have stayed with him means a lot. He had a wife, 5 kids, 10 grandkids, and 16 great-grandkids and was always surrounded by family and friends so to think of him being alone in the end would have been devastating to my mother-in-law and his wife of 60 years.
Nursing is an art and science because nurses use their heads and their hearts. When no one was looking and no cares or meds needed to be done she just held his hand because that is what was needed.
I believe that Mindy is the embodiment of nursing and I want to say thank you for your dedication to your work and your patients.
I will forever be grateful for the compassion and kindness that you showed to me and our family.
The intensivist then came in to give me an update. None of this was easy for my mother-in-law she had him as full code and was adamant he was going to get stronger so he could be at home with his wife. She had to make the same tough decisions she made in 2019. The doctor told me when speaking with her how she was doing the best she could for her dad, she made the hard decisions, and that she was doing the right thing. I am sure he has said that many times before but when my mother-in-law called and I told her that I was there and he was passing and it was going to be real soon I was able to share what he said and I know it brought her comfort. She wasn’t sure she was doing the right thing and expressing the doctor's kind words meant a lot.
When he did finally pass Mindy let me know and got the doctor to confirm and then gave me time to say goodbye.
He passed about 15 minutes after I got there but knowing that if no one was there Mindy would have stayed with him means a lot. He had a wife, 5 kids, 10 grandkids, and 16 great-grandkids and was always surrounded by family and friends so to think of him being alone in the end would have been devastating to my mother-in-law and his wife of 60 years.
Nursing is an art and science because nurses use their heads and their hearts. When no one was looking and no cares or meds needed to be done she just held his hand because that is what was needed.
I believe that Mindy is the embodiment of nursing and I want to say thank you for your dedication to your work and your patients.
I will forever be grateful for the compassion and kindness that you showed to me and our family.