Donna Lambert was caring for a patient who was dying of cancer that was just placed on inpatient hospice. The patient never verbalized his fear of dying but he had subtle expressions that Donna picked up on. Donna researched his chart and found out that the patient was Baptist. She saw a Catholic priest in the hallway and asked the patient if he would like to talk to the priest. The patient expressed his fear because he was an alcoholic and didn’t think he would be forgiven. Donna talked with the patient, stating that God will forgive you even if you just think the words, the priest won’t even have to know. The patient folded his hands and agreed to see the priest. The three of them prayed together with the priest leading. The patient seemed so touched by this caring and compassionate gesture and appeared much more peaceful after speaking with the priest.
For the remainder of Donna’s shift she took extra time to wipe his face with cool cloths and medicated him to ensure he was comfortable. While sharing this story with us, Donna was brought to tears just showing that she truly cared for this patient’s well being. The patient passed away the next day and other staff had noticed the change in him after the prayer session. We know Donna made this man more at ease with his passing and now he is in a higher place, resting with God.