I have known Julie for many years and have witnessed her calm and caring demeanor as a floor nurse. However, I recently had the opportunity to witness her care with a family member in the Oncology Infusion Center. I watched how she developed a rapport with her patients, making any connection possible. With R, it was truck driving as he and Julie'd husband shared the same profession. They discussed the job and she even provided what information she could on benefits, disability, etc. She was always very genuine when talking with R. She listened intently and showed sincere concern for his well-being. She discussed ways for him to cope with the symptoms of his cancer and the treatment. She provided suggestions for managing nausea, vomiting, anxiety, depression, and loss of appetite and energy. As he lost weight with each visit, she provided samples of numerous protein drinks trying to encourage him to eat.

She continually focused on the positives and treated him as a person rather than a diagnosis or an illness. R never wanted to know his prognosis and I do not believe he ever asked. Julie respected R’s wishes, but at the same time she never misled him either. When he spoke of returning to work, she spoke honestly of how it may be unsafe. When he told her that we had discussed the possibility of taking disability she steered him towards the most practical and safest choice. At the same time, Julie answered my questions with painstaking honesty and as a nurse, we all know how difficult that can be. I am forever grateful for her honestly. It kept me grounded and focused. During the summer heat, I found myself wishing for cooler weather only to realize that I was wishing my time away and his days were numbered.

R told me often that he liked it when Julie was working the days of his chemo treatments. Her kindness and attention to detail made him feel safe. His treatment days changed at one point and he feared that would be her day off and he would no longer have her as his nurse. If that was the case, he wanted to switch back to Mondays so that she would be there. Julie intuitively empathized with our uncertainties and recognized our needs. I never felt that she was caring for a patient, but instead it felt like she was caring for family. This was extremely evident with one particular action. She sent me 2 emails. One when she heard R had taken a turn for the worse and one when she heard he passed away. Those 2 emails meant more than words can say. Julie spoke of what an honor it is to care for her patients and how they all inspire her. There was a lot of comfort in those emails because at that time I realized that Julie was not only caring for my brother, but she also cared about him.