When my wife was diagnosed with breast cancer we were shocked ....at 32 years old it's not something a person should have to deal with. We held off trying to explain it to our young children until we had a plan for her treatment. Even still, my 9-year-old daughter had been paying attention to Mommy's doctor appointments and burst into tears asking me if Mommy was dying and if she is sick "like grandma was sick". My wife's mother also had breast cancer and my daughter's memory was sharp.
We researched all we could online, and I wrote down many questions prior to her initial consultation. Due to Coronavirus, I was not allowed to go to this consultation to comfort my wife or form my impression on the doctors who I was asked to trust with my wife's life. During that initial consult, I was so frustrated trying to hear everything over a conference call. My wife was going through the hardest, most terrifying experience of her life, completely alone. I felt helpless and useless! That day is when Amy Boodry started caring for my wife.
My wife was alone waiting for lab work when Amy greeted her, talked to her, and for the first time in all her appointments she now had a friend who cared. Amy requested to be my wife's nurse for her first two rounds of chemotherapy. She coordinated with my wife's Nurse Navigator to allow me clearance as an approved visitor. Otherwise, I would not have been allowed at any of my wife's appointments this whole time. I can't express in words how much that has meant to me. Amy has been there for my wife for months now. Amy has gone out of her way to find my wife on her treatment days to catch up and ask how she's doing and offer hope and encouragement. Because of Amy, my wife has had a friend through this extremely difficult journey. There are many factors that make a great nurse, clinical knowledge, professionalism, skills. Something no school can teach is true compassion something exemplified by Amy. Thank you so much for opening your heart to include my wife.