2 Children, Hours Apart, 1 Common Theme

I just got home from working a 12 hour shift at the hospital and I’m sitting on the couch mindlessly scrolling social media. On instagram, I come across a beautiful girl, a 6 time leukemia fighter, and my heart sinks. Because I know what that picture means. She looks happy and peaceful, I’ve been here […]

To The Dad of a Child with Cancer

You are appreciated. I see you. I see you every single day you walk into the hospital. I see the look on your face after you’ve spent an entire day at work and now about to spend the entire evening on a couch 3x too small for you. I see your eyes dim the second […]

Imagine

Imagine You’re a parent of at least one child and you’ve never heard the words “childhood cancer” in person. In fact, you didn’t even know it existed until you saw a St. Jude’s commercial of bald headed beautiful children on an oncology unit. You’re oblivious to the world that is childhood cancer, and who could […]

An Open Letter to the Siblings of My Patients

You are brave You didn’t ask for this life. One day, you were playing with your sibling, living a care free life and your biggest worry was if your parents would find out about the typical sibling war you had earlier in the day… the next, you’re sitting in a hospital room finding out they […]

A World Without Pediatric Oncology Nurses

“Put me out of a job. Put us all out of a job” There were a few of us sitting at the nurses station preparing for the day ahead of us. We were making small talk about childhood cancer, research funding and plans for the future. I hadn’t told many people of my future goals […]

To The Mom of a Child with Cancer

You are enough. I see you. I see you every single day with that look on your face. You still have the smile, the smile that tells me behind it has a whole lot more to say. I want you to know: You are enough. I saw your face the day you heard the words […]

A Nurses Perspective on Chest Pain and Heart Break

Chest pain. Chest burning. Chest heaviness. Feels like I’m coming out of my skin. Does my arm hurt? Is my jaw hurting? Am I having a heart attack? Chest pain. Easter Sunday. Although it didn’t feel like a holiday to me. I woke up with awful chest burning. I didn’t have time to figure it […]

A Nurses Plea To Stay Home During The COVID-19 Outbreak

Are we allowed to say it? Does it make us look weak? Ungrateful? Judgmental? Overreacting? I am nervous. If you’re a nurse (or CNA), you were probably “called to” nursing. You didn’t choose the job, the job chose you. You have a strong passion and desire to take care of the most vulnerable population and […]

“The Only People” Are Someone’s Only Person

I’m going to be a little honest here when I tell you that I am OVER hearing that COVID-19 is “just the flu” and the “only people who will die are the elderly and the immunosuppressed.” Excuse me, what? The “only people that will die…” How do you say that and be morally okay with […]

Giving Up $.96 To Save A Life

Picture your child walking into a toy story to pick up a toy that they saved up their money for. Your child is all smiles, gleefully trotting down the aisle as they’ve waited “FOREVER” for their latest “have to have this mom!” toy. They run up to the checkout aisle, eagerly awaiting to pay for […]