I have had the great pleasure of working with Taryn for many years. I have watched Taryn grow as a nurse throughout those years. Yesterday I witnessed compassion at its finest. I went down to the Diamond Lobby as I do countless times a day. I was waiting for a toy donation to come in. As I was sitting there I looked outside and saw Taryn sitting on a bench. She was holding one of our young patients who is very sick. She was holding her so closely and carefully as if she might break at any moment. I saw the pain on Taryn's face as she sat there. The child's sibling was sitting next to her and Taryn was watching over her as well. I did not see the mom but figured she had gone to get her car. She drove up shortly after and I watched as Taryn took the child to the car and ever so gently put her into the car seat. Mom strapped her in and turned to Taryn. The anguish on their faces was clear. They embraced for a long moment. Mom had tears running down her face when they parted, and I could tell that it took everything in Taryn not to cry as well. She did not though, as she knows that is not what that mom needed at that moment. She needed strength and that is what she got from Taryn. As Taryn turned to come back into the building I spoke to her. All I said was take a deep breath. She just kept on walking and did not say anything. I knew that she probably did not hear me but more importantly I knew that even if she did she could not stop at that moment because she was beelining for a place to let herself fall apart for a few minutes alone. I collected the donation and went about the rest of my day, but I will NEVER forget the beauty of those moments between Taryn and this mom and her children.
Over the years I have witnessed Taryn interact with other families as well in the clinic. I have seen her give silly string to a child and allow him to spray it at his doctors. I have seen her give them nerf guns and let them attack anyone who was moving in an ambush of nerf darts. I was the recipient of one of those attacks once. The pure joy on the face of the small child who was so sick they had no earthly reason to smile was a gift that I will cherish forever. I have seen her at funerals and memorials, there to support the parents who she has become so close with over the years of treatment their child went through, only to lose the battle they were fighting. She was there, fighting tirelessly with them just as all the staff in that clinic do every day.
When I got to work this morning, I noticed a text message from last night that I had not seen. It was from my boss telling me that Taryn had asked for my cell phone number. She told me she did not give it to her because she was not sure if I wanted it out there. She instead, gave me Taryn's cell phone and when I texted her she responded only to apologize for not speaking to me when she passed me in the lobby the day before. I felt so bad that she had spent the evening worrying that she had hurt my feelings when she just walked past me. She said she had just needed a minute. I obviously texted her right back and told her I knew all of that from what I had witnessed and that she never needed to apologize for caring so deeply for those families. As I sit here writing this nomination and I look back out that window and see her there holding that sick, tiny little girl my tears threaten to fall. I am in awe of her strength in the face death of a young child and the courage that she finds to help the families through that difficult time. She is truly an Extraordinary Nurse!