A hug to remember

Nurse Lauren Garfield distinctly remembers the first time she heard Jason’s story. She was listening to the on-call nurse’s report and heard about a new admit. Listening to the patient’s story made her cringe and for some reason, she knew this patient would be her responsibility. She learned that Jason would be her patient and as a new registered nurse case manager, she felt completely inadequate.

As Lauren and her vocational nurse, Lisa, reviewed Jason’s file, they learned that his pain was out of control due to cancer. He was 35 years old with a 31-year-old wife and was only expected to live a few weeks.

Now that's what I call relief

I believe there was a 1980’s Rolaids commercial about relief. How consumer-focused we communicate using the ideas we have seen in old television ads.

Last week I saw real relief. One of our patients was suffering from constant and worsening air hunger (he has emphysema). Air hunger is one of the most devastating symptoms. It is the persistent sensation of almost drowning. For the patient, release from the constant struggle to get air came 7 minutes after he received his first low-dose morphine. He is enjoying his last days and weeks much more now.