March 2025
Jon
Giesige
,
RN
MSICU
Lutheran Hospital
Fort Wayne
,
IN
United States
Jon answered every question that day with patience and kindness.
The care my sister received while at Lutheran was frustrating but that is because the doctors and nurses were trying so hard to find what the underlying issues were and kept coming up with worse information. This was in no way their fault. What was extremely heartwarming was the care I witnessed being given to not only my sister but also her husband, kids, and the rest of the family and friends.
You see, my brother-in-law is a what-you-see, what-you-get type of guy. He is a farmer and mechanic and likes things to be given to him straight. He has a gruff exterior but is a softie on the inside. He was lost in trying to make decisions because M ran the ship, and she ran it well and was extremely organized. The patience and care shown by Dr. W and Jon, M’s nurse, was so unbelievably caring and empathetic that it gave me hope in the future of healthcare.
Jon answered every question that day with patience and kindness. He was realistic and kind, with tough answers to tougher questions. My twin nephews at the time were seniors in high school, and he truly made a huge impact on them. They couldn’t believe how kind and comforting he was. For two 18-year-old boys who were facing losing their mom, that to me is huge. My brother-in-law couldn’t believe how honest he was and how easy it was to ask questions. He answered all the questions in ways C could understand and follow.
Dr. W was probably the most straightforward and compassionate doctor I have seen in my 25 years of being a nurse. She told us not to lose hope yet on Wednesday and early Thursday, but after scans showed increased amounts of cancer, she then came to C and let him know that it was time. Time to say goodbye. Time to let my sister fly with friends and family in heaven. She told us that we could take our time with this process and to just let them know when we were ready to end supportive care. There was no rush. There was no irritation at the multitude of questions. There was only care and compassion shown, and for that, we are extremely grateful.
The subsequent letters written by three out of four kids show the extreme impact that being great in healthcare professions includes more than being smart and knowing things. It shows that kindness and compassion are instrumental. For that, I am truly thankful that these two, along with E, were on our path to M’s short but momentous journey.
Thank you.
You see, my brother-in-law is a what-you-see, what-you-get type of guy. He is a farmer and mechanic and likes things to be given to him straight. He has a gruff exterior but is a softie on the inside. He was lost in trying to make decisions because M ran the ship, and she ran it well and was extremely organized. The patience and care shown by Dr. W and Jon, M’s nurse, was so unbelievably caring and empathetic that it gave me hope in the future of healthcare.
Jon answered every question that day with patience and kindness. He was realistic and kind, with tough answers to tougher questions. My twin nephews at the time were seniors in high school, and he truly made a huge impact on them. They couldn’t believe how kind and comforting he was. For two 18-year-old boys who were facing losing their mom, that to me is huge. My brother-in-law couldn’t believe how honest he was and how easy it was to ask questions. He answered all the questions in ways C could understand and follow.
Dr. W was probably the most straightforward and compassionate doctor I have seen in my 25 years of being a nurse. She told us not to lose hope yet on Wednesday and early Thursday, but after scans showed increased amounts of cancer, she then came to C and let him know that it was time. Time to say goodbye. Time to let my sister fly with friends and family in heaven. She told us that we could take our time with this process and to just let them know when we were ready to end supportive care. There was no rush. There was no irritation at the multitude of questions. There was only care and compassion shown, and for that, we are extremely grateful.
The subsequent letters written by three out of four kids show the extreme impact that being great in healthcare professions includes more than being smart and knowing things. It shows that kindness and compassion are instrumental. For that, I am truly thankful that these two, along with E, were on our path to M’s short but momentous journey.
Thank you.