My 87-year-old father had been living independently and alone in North Bend for almost 13 years after Mom died in 2011. When Dad had a severe stroke in January, I dropped everything to come down from the Seattle area where I live. I feared the worst was coming. I was right. I spent five days in the hospital with Dad before he passed peacefully. All the care and support Dad and I received during our time in the hospital was amazing, but Stephanie really shone. By the time I met Stephanie, Dad had been moved to Comfort Care with all the realizations, grief, and stress that accompany that shift. Stephanie took the time to listen as I told her about my Dad: the person, not the helpless patient. She listened to my stories about him with compassion and tenderness and prayed with me when I shared my faith convictions.

Her medical care of my Dad, along with the kind and unobtrusive instruction of a student (who was also lovely), impressed me. Her gentle care and concern for my Dad’s comfort and dignity meant the world to me. With all the stress of our time in the hospital, I barely ate or left Dad, so I was impressed and touched when Stephanie not only admonished me to eat but brought me food and reminded me that I needed to take care of myself also in order to care for Dad and to best manage what was coming. Stephanie is an Extraordinary Nurse and I would love to see her honored with an award. She made one of the most difficult days of my life much more bearable.