I received a call from my father's oncologist informing me of my father's leukemia diagnosis and he stated he was working with the Medical staff at Novant to get him admitted right away. In less than two hours we were given a bed and admitted with treatment to begin that evening. That evening, Amber G. Hoey demonstrated such grace, compassion, and empathy as my father was battling the comprehension of what all had occurred in the past few hours. As Amber was beginning the education and consent process for the chemotherapy, she recognized that my father was having a really difficult time coming to terms with this life altering diagnosis and what all was to come in the next few hours, days, and weeks.

Amber patiently held his hand and went through all of the education; answered all of his questions and then left him words of wisdom we have embraced throughout this journey: "Right now, we are going to take it one day at a time and when that feels overwhelming you are going to look at the clock and say I can get through the next hour, and when you really feel bad you may just be able to get through it one minute at a time, but you are surrounded by people who will support you and make sure you get through that next minute... hour... day." There have been moments throughout this journey where the pain was so excruciating, the nausea unbearable, and mental load staggering; however, Amber's words of wisdom and confidence of the staff around her created a fortress frame of mind that carried us throughout this treatment.