One of my favorite patients was Dorothy. She was in her 90’s when she came on hospice service and I had the privilege of being her Nurse Case Manager for four years. She was on service for end-stage heart disease and had another nurse two years prior.
I remember that her daughter wasn’t happy that her prior nurse had been transferred to another territory and I was now the replacement. Her daughter was vocal about her displeasure and I sympathized how difficult it is to change nurses when there is a bond between a nurse and patient. I put on my best smile and bedside manner, thus winning Dorothy over with that first visit!
Dorothy lived in the second floor apartment that her son-in-law had created for her – complete with kitchen, bathroom, living room and a large bedroom that housed her oxygen concentrator, hospital bed, bedside commode and walker. The family installed a chair on electric rails that brought her up and down the stairs to her little apartment.
Dorothy was very spiritual and saw her departed loved ones as she was nearing death. She loved the Reiki treatments I did for her during my nursing visits and loved my hugs and kisses that I planted on her forehead every time I greeted her!
She wrote a book of her memoirs about family members. She would often pull out her manuscript and read the stories to me; sharing these memorable times of her life. Dorothy always wanted to be a published author and I felt honored to be the recipient of her manuscript that her loving daughter published and gifted to me after Dorothy made her transition.
One of my favorite memories during my career was when I had the idea to take a picture of me and my patient wearing a Santa hat; then, gifting that picture to my patients with their Christmas card. Dorothy’s daughter gave me the framed Christmas picture of me and Dorothy when we met for breakfast after she transitioned. That picture sits on a shelf in my healing room and is in the epilogue of my book.
I am so grateful that I chose a career that helped people make their transition with love and support. I was blessed to share my life with each one of my patients, however, Dorothy holds a very special place in my heart!
💕 Love you, Dorothy! 💕
