When my 28-year-old fiancé was diagnosed with cancer, it truly felt like our lives as we knew them were over. Everything felt impossible, every day was daunting, and the "How are we going to get through this?" question played on repeat in our minds. Two months into his diagnosis, things are still hard of course, but not nearly as hard as we first anticipated them to be, and that is largely due to my fiancé's angel on earth nurse, Joslin Teti.

Joslin is M's chemo nurse but the role she plays in our lives extends far past the hours spent together during M's treatments. Joslin quickly got to know M and tailored her bedside manner around his personality, what made him comfortable, and what made him anxious. Joslin is lighthearted when we need it, and serious when we all need it. She knows the exact way to manage M's treatment and more importantly, his spirits during his treatment.

As a 27-year-old caregiver, Joslin has been like an older sister to me and a guiding light. She makes me feel so secure in my abilities to care for M and has never once made me feel like I can't reach out with any questions or concerns. As hard as it is to go to the hospital for M's appointments and treatments, part of me always looks forward to it because it means we get to see Joslin. Joslin is truly the best.​​

***

As a family, we've been very fortunate to have kept cancer at bay from impacting those close to us up until a recent day in April, also known within our family as "Dooms Day" is when M was diagnosed with Lymphoma at a mere 28 years old. M is the equivalent of a brother to me as he's been by my sister's side for the past 9.5 years. What was meant to be a season of love and a marriage engagement has turned into a season of tribe mentality, unmatched support, tweaking meal plans to include no raw salads, learning about chemo drugs, blood counts, anger, questioning a bigger picture, happy moments, sad moments, fear, uncertainty, family planning, and so much more. The red thread that has made this whole nightmare a tad bit easier? Joslin. Joslin. Joslin.

Joslin is cut from a different cloth with nursing care. Her bedside manner is unmatched and she truly makes it feel like she is going through all of this with us, not just administering care. Joslin is thorough in explaining what is happening, what to expect, what to do to keep living life, and making this all feel a bit more "normal." During M's treatments, it feels like we're all hanging with a friend and somebody we have known for years. Joslin has picked up on M's sensitive areas (ex: wanting to know all his vitals, moments that queue panic, and more) and has tweaked her care to be mindful of those. Joslin's presence, dry humor (which is much appreciated), and approach to care have calmed M on these hard, scary days. Joslin has been an absolutely AMAZING resource to my sister who is learning how to be a cancer caregiver at 27 years old. Nobody wants to ever have a cancer diagnosis but there's something to be said when gearing up for chemo treatment, M says "Oh I hopeeee we have Joslin again today... she makes this easier".