Lauren King
February 2026
Lauren
King
,
BSN, RN
St. Luke's
Twin Falls
,
ID
United States
With each shift, she worked diligently to provide exceptional insight on how to care for us.
My son, Matthew, was admitted to the Saint Luke's Hospital in Twin Falls, Idaho, for chronic respiratory failure, severe sepsis, and type one diabetes mellitus. Over the prior 5 months, M’s walking distance had decreased, and he had been eating less with increased pain. I knew that M was in the process of dying soon.
M was born with Down syndrome. This defect did not affect him at all. It had the opposite effect. He was present and secure in who he was. M “purposed in his heart” to love everyone.
M was placed on Comfort Care Inpatient Hospice for the last three days of his life. I was introduced to Lauren King, RN, who was his day-shift nurse. She said, "I will be with you for the next three days," and gave M and me this illuminating confidence that we can get through this together. Her beautiful smile, every time she entered our room, was such a blessing to M and me. Lauren was supportive and present in M’s care. With each shift, she worked diligently to provide exceptional insight on how to care for us. Lauren and I would provide tandem care for M. I would handle much of the hands-on care, and she would handle the nursing care. We would give each other a “thumbs up” when M’s room was filled with visitors, while she gave M and me a supportive smile. My brother-in-law asked Lauren if there were any massage chairs available. She came back to the room and said, “I have something for M that I know he will like!” We all got together, wheeled him down to the staff room, and put him in a massage chair. “Oh, this feels great,” he would say. And we all stood around M watching him enjoy his massage. On Valentine's Day at 7:07 am M passed away. When Lauren walked into his room, I knew how much she cared for M. I told her how much of an impact she had on me and the difference she made through the whole process. What a wonderful blessing she was to M and me during his last three days.
Lauren, thank you for the gift of your humble and intentional spirit. It moved me deeply and gave M a sense of belonging. Thank you for being “Living Water” that can flow through the spirit of men.
John chapter 7: verse 38 Jesus said, “He who believes in Me, as the scripture says, out of their heart will flow rivers of living water”
M was born with Down syndrome. This defect did not affect him at all. It had the opposite effect. He was present and secure in who he was. M “purposed in his heart” to love everyone.
M was placed on Comfort Care Inpatient Hospice for the last three days of his life. I was introduced to Lauren King, RN, who was his day-shift nurse. She said, "I will be with you for the next three days," and gave M and me this illuminating confidence that we can get through this together. Her beautiful smile, every time she entered our room, was such a blessing to M and me. Lauren was supportive and present in M’s care. With each shift, she worked diligently to provide exceptional insight on how to care for us. Lauren and I would provide tandem care for M. I would handle much of the hands-on care, and she would handle the nursing care. We would give each other a “thumbs up” when M’s room was filled with visitors, while she gave M and me a supportive smile. My brother-in-law asked Lauren if there were any massage chairs available. She came back to the room and said, “I have something for M that I know he will like!” We all got together, wheeled him down to the staff room, and put him in a massage chair. “Oh, this feels great,” he would say. And we all stood around M watching him enjoy his massage. On Valentine's Day at 7:07 am M passed away. When Lauren walked into his room, I knew how much she cared for M. I told her how much of an impact she had on me and the difference she made through the whole process. What a wonderful blessing she was to M and me during his last three days.
Lauren, thank you for the gift of your humble and intentional spirit. It moved me deeply and gave M a sense of belonging. Thank you for being “Living Water” that can flow through the spirit of men.
John chapter 7: verse 38 Jesus said, “He who believes in Me, as the scripture says, out of their heart will flow rivers of living water”