I was diagnosed with Adenocarcinoma cancer in both lungs back in 2020. The initial treatment was high-dose radiation at both malignancies. The treatment for the cancer was successful, but the side effects from the treatment caused multiple rib fractures post-treatment. The radiation injured the 7th rib so badly that it generated a hematoma the size of an orange on my back twice. I took two trips to the emergency room, and they drained 1 liter of blood/fluid each time. The pain from this injury was excruciating. Surgery was scheduled to see if they could fix the damage to the rib. This is where I met Shea.

From the beginning of my stay, she was very professional, kind, and compassionate. She went out of her way to make my stay so comfortable. She always offered words of understanding as if she were dealing with the pain, too. The initial repair of the rib did not work, as the screw fasteners did not hold the plate to the rib. A second surgery was performed, and the pain was worse than the first. I ended up with five draining tubes after the surgery. Shea, again, was an angel in going above and beyond to help me cope with the pain.

A few months later, a CT showed that the cancer had spread to two lymph nodes. Treatment consisted of low-level radiation and chemotherapy. To my surprise, one of the nurses that was performing the treatment was Shea. She had transferred from a surgery floor RN to the Hematology/Oncology department. Is that a coincidence? What are those chances? I was so glad to see her again; it was too bad it was under these circumstances. Again, she is such a sweet person but very professional. She made sure that I was comfortable during the chemo infusion. She even took the time to sit with my husband to provide positive thoughts to help us through this lengthy treatment. I’m sure there are many great stories about Shea besides ours. She truly picked and belongs in this role of health care. Thank You!