Here is a brief introduction about me that will help you understand why my oncology nurse played such a significant role throughout my treatment for cancer. I am a 66-year-old professional who has been a caregiver for both my parents and also my older brother, who passed away shortly before my diagnosis. I have worked in clinical research for the last 20 years on the patient and feasibility end. So, while I do not have medical credentials, I have a good understanding of breast cancer and current treatments available to patients as well as expected outcomes and potential side effects. I pride myself on being resilient and did not panic when diagnosed. I knew this would be tough but survivable. I understood that my mental outlook was very important to achieving a successful endpoint. I am not your "typical" patient. It is important that I understand my treatments and options. I needed an oncology team that understood that.

I was diagnosed with Triple Negative Breast cancer in January of 2023 and was scheduled to begin chemotherapy shortly after that. Maggie was my assigned oncology treatment nurse. She was professional and friendly. I liked that Maggie was calm and had an air of sureness about her. I had a good feeling about her from the start and soon knew my intuition was correct. 

I arrived for my first treatment not sure what to expect. I seated myself in my infusion chair while my sister and niece assembled my cold-cap (used to prevent hair loss) on my scalp. The infusions began. All good and I settled in. No big deal. 

A few minutes later, I felt an odd sensation in my throat quickly realizing, I was having a reaction to one of the drugs. Nurses and doctors suddenly flooded my room. Everything seemed to stand still as I felt my throat squeezing tighter and tighter. I heard someone say, "You are okay," and looked up to see it was Maggie beside me, already administering the antidote. Her calmness and sense of control amazed me. It was over as fast as it began. This was just the beginning of several months of treatment, where I relied on her empathy, experience, and professionalism. 

As a caregiver for both my parents and my older brother, I have learned what makes certain nurses exceptional. Maggie is exceptional in every sense and played a huge role in how well I got through my treatments. Aside from her medical expertise, which is expected of anyone in her position, she personifies everything an oncology nurse should be. 

She was proficient in my care. Maggie knew my treatments and everything about them. Our conversations flowed seamlessly from one week to the next and it felt as if we spoke every day. She always asked if I had side effects during the week and discussed how my post-treatment meds were working and how to use them best to minimize the side effects. She was very perceptive and encouraged me to try the Cherne-fatigue PT program when I was getting worn down from the treatments. It was just the boost I needed. 

Her empathy was extraordinary. She listened to me and my family. Maggie shared our anxiety and triumphs. It was as if she had been in our shoes a hundred times. Maggie understood each of us and was there for all of us. 

When I couldn't let my guard down around my family, I confided in Maggie. About halfway through my treatments, she recognized my anxiety was growing over the next set of treatments, also known as the "red devil" to chemo patients. It is one of the tougher treatments for breast cancer, with many more side effects. There is actually a book written by a patient about her ordeal with it. I dreaded this next step and began to lose sleep. She encouraged me to not to think of the treatment differently than the others and reminded me how well I had done already. With her support, I changed my perception of the "red devil" and did very well with the treatment. I decided to call it the red dragon, and I was the dragon slayer. 

There is so much more I could share about her extraordinariness as a nurse if time allowed, but to sum it up, we all felt safe in her hands. She gave us faith that everything would be okay, and if it wasn't, she would be there every step of the way. From that first day when I had the reaction until the day, I rang the bell (finishing chemo), I was completely certain that I could trust my life to her. My family was too. I cannot think of anyone who deserves this more.