have you ever been hugged so tightly and so sincerely that it caught you off guard? one of those hugs where you felt like you were truly needed and that the other person was going to melt into you? that happened to me the other day by the mother of a dear patient of mine. a mother i have known for years as i have known, cared for and been a friend to her son for many years of his cancer journey. this hug happened the week we were saying goodbye to him. she whispered in my ear the most sincere “thank you” and reminded me that her son “loved…

a friend asked the other day that popular question, “if you could hang out with anyone not living anymore who would it be?” i instantly thought of mother teresa. i have always admired her and her service was a huge influence on my career choice.“give your hands to serve and your hearts to love.” mother teresa. it’s so simple, really, and isn’t that why we are here? i would have loved meeting her and walking through the slums of india with her, touching lepers and learning from her completely selfless heart. the next person was someone who owns a very special part of my heart. a former patient of mine,…

it’s only appropriate that this entry in written in pink…i don’t even know where to start to attempt to sum up the life of the most amazing 3 year old i’ve ever known. i had the honor and joy of caring for her during illness and later horrific disease that she battled. one would not know the trauma she had to deal with on a daily basis because she often bounced around the hospital with smiles and laughter and hugs…i attribute her incredible attitude, strength, courage, and sheer joy for life to her parents and family members who loved her so well. yesterday, i attended her funeral where hundreds of…