How many times did you feel “taken care of” by your cancer nurse?  With so many responsibilities, these angels of care always seemed to be so focused on you or your loved one.  How is it that they remember you didn’t like strawberries, or drinking fluids wasn’t easy, or that extra warm blanket on the chemo chair was always waiting for you before the treatment began?

There’s so many things that I’ve forgotten about Leroy’s years of cancer treatment, but my memories are so vivid when it comes to the wonderful care he got from so many nurses at the cancer center.  They took care of me too.  When I spent the night in a waiting room, while Leroy was in surgery, the O-R nurse called me every hour to give me updates on his condition.  Another nurse brought me pillows and warmed blankets so I was comfortable and could take naps between those updates.  When he was in recovery, his nurses were with him every minute, making sure his vitals were steady and his pain was minimal.

I remember the nurses who helped him walk down the halls and those who sat with him just to talk sports and keep his mind off cancer during the long hours of chemo.

I know I’m not alone here, I’ve heard so many other former cancer care givers sing the praises of their nurses too.

Once the grieving has lessened and the healing begins and we’re able to think back over the cancer journey, we think about those who helped us get through all of it.

The nurses are at the front of the line, for me.  They are cancer’s living, breathing, care packages.