Dearest Nicole,

It is nearly midnight here and I have just turned in my last assignment of nursing school. I suppose as I hit the send button on that last care plan it suddenly dawned on me that this chapter in my life is over, and that somehow it all began a little over four years ago in a hospital room in Lancaster when I first met you. I know now after four years of plugging along through nursing school that a lot of the time we never know what impact we might have had on the people that we have cared for, and even more so might never know who they impacted because of the impact we had on them. But I wanted you to know, that your impact is something that will keep going on and on and will multiply far beyond what I am sure you had in mind one very long night that led into a very long day in what seems like to me a city so very,very far away now. You should know that despite amazing teachers and faculty at my university, and incredible nurses that I have had the honor of working with over the past couple of years in nursing school, no one has shown me what nursing is all about more than you. You have taught me about humility, professionalism, honor, dedication, and compassion. You are the nurse I look up to the most and you totally deserve it.

I wish I had a medal or honor to give you, or at least a way to tell everyone how amazing you are for all you did not only for my family and me, but also for all the people I met in Lancaster through SHARE before I moved, and all the people I'm sure you have made a lasting impression on since. Unfortunately I don't have any power to do any of those things that you so very much deserve. But I will tell you this, on May 19th I am graduating from the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee with a BSN. I am graduating with honors, member of sigma theta tau, and with a GPA of 3.9. I have come a really long way since I was there in that room that night, but I couldn't have done it had you not somehow given me the strength to pick myself up and be something awesome. Perhaps, I can honor you al little bit by changing other people's lives like you have changed mine.

I know sometimes later on people will tell us that it was the little things that we said that changed their lives. For me it was when I told you that I was having the worst day of my life and you told me that I was. You let me feel that it was as bad as it could ever get, and it would only be up from there. You know what? It was. I'm sure you don't remember this conversation, but I remember it as clear as if it happened yesterday. Let me tell you, it was the worst day of my life. But I'll also tell you that since then, it has been pretty awesome. I may never understand why things happen like they do, but I do know that sometimes great things can come from the worst of situations.

I hope I haven't overwhelmed you by turning all gushy, but I think you ought to know that you have made a difference, a huge difference, and it hasn't even really begun. Thank you. I'm not sure even what else to say but thank you. As I leave school and hit the "real world" I hope I can be even a little bit like you. You have a lot to be proud of.

With all the Best,

(Nicole's former patient)