I knew I was going to be taking care of my Mom 24/7 so she could die in her home the way she wanted. I didn’t know that her nurse would be there for both my mom and me the entire time. Susan was with Mom in the hospital when I arrived to bring her home, and five weeks later, she was with my mom in the ER, where she died. She got to know my mom. She asked questions about her life, made her laugh, and spoke frankly with her about what was happening to her body and mind as she approached the end of her life. She explained everything I needed to know to take care of my mom. Pain medications, steroids, and most importantly, the oxygen my mom desperately needed more and more as her lung disease progressed.

She was also able to explain what was going on with my mom’s mental health. Her anxiety was spiking, and she knew how to help her with it. I had so much anxiety myself about the pain meds and possible emergency scenarios being in an isolated rural community. Knowing she was going to visit us regularly and that we could call them for anything, anytime, made it possible for me to be there with my mom through the entire process. I simply could not have done it without them. I knew Sue was going to be at my mom’s funeral service, but I didn’t know she was going to give a heartfelt, eloquent speech that made us laugh and cry. She was probably on her lunch break; when I looked for her, as the service was ending, she was gone. I’m sure she had another isolated and dying patient to visit and take care of.