Rarely do families get to see the awesome care provided to their child during such a critical time because once their kid is sedated the parents have to leave. Penny cares for these kids with such gentleness and still talks to them as if they are awake even though they are sedated.
Recently, Penny cared for a young man who relapsed and was now end of life. He was 22 yrs. old and a senior in college. He shared his dreams of always wanting to live on a farm. Just so happens, Penny lives on a farm. She shared photos and stories of the farm life to give him a glimpse each day before she sedated him for radiation. She made sure every day to care for him with love and compassion and she shared with him God's love. On his last night here, she went up to his room after her shift was over just to visit, not knowing he was about to transition. She stayed after her shift for 4 hours not only providing comfort and support to his mom and him but also to the nursing staff who were there. It was a very difficult time and hard to watch for all involved but, Penny just being herself did what she does best, letting her light shine, showing love, and compassion not because she had too but because that is her true heart's posture. This was so heartfelt and what it is all about, making a difference in the lives of our patients, families, and peers. We love and appreciate you!