Cathy
Lorenz
August 2011
Cathy
Lorenz
,
RN
Med-Surg Oncology
Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center
Chicago
,
IL
United States

 

 

 

I am frequently admitted to the hospital so the nurses know my situation and that my family lives out of state and I am here alone. One morning I had a particularly bad event occur with a bad reaction to my medication. I was unresponsive for approximately 1 ½ to 2 hours and Cathy was my nurse. She tried to find something, anything, that would help bring me closer to giving a response. She sifted throughout her memories of our many conversations trying to engage in anything that would elicit conversation or reaction. She tried everything and nothing was working. Finally, she remembered that I had told her I got 2 cats from the Anti-Cruelty society just a couple of weeks ago and she started to engage in conversation about them. She knew my granddaughter was helping me name one of them so she asked me about their names.
After the incident was under control she and I discussed just how close and intimate our relationship became on one early Saturday morning when I placed my life in her hands, total trust and responsibility between us and how we really knew about the pathway to excellence and just how deep that intimate relationship goes.

We also recognized the meaning of teamwok and that there is no end to the depths of her compassion. Thank you Cathy. And the cat’s name is Mr. Leo Squeakers.