My Sis' Story

Maria Full of Grace

To tell my story about Maria I have to first begin with me. I am a 35 year old woman with stage III breast cancer. It sucks! People tell me ‘it is what it is’ but I don’t want it to be ‘what it is’ I want it to be gone! I am mad and I cry often. I hate everything about having cancer except for Maria. When I first met Maria she was working as an RN for my primary physician a year before my diagnoses and was always kind to me. So it came as a surprise and a relief that she was now working with my oncologist. However, I was not aware of this until I walked in for my first AC infusion. I was scared to death! I walked into the room slowly and with much hesitation. What I really wanted to do was walk right back out and down to the beach and forget about this whole cancer thing. Maria remembered me and greeted me with a great big, warm smile which helped put me at ease. She prompted me to sit anywhere. As I began to sit the tears began to flow. Maria had probably seen it a hundred times and could have chosen to act callous and go about her business but she didn’t. She stopped what she was doing, sat down beside me and put her hand on my knees. She acknowledged my fears and told me that I would get through this and they (her & the doctor) would be there to help me do it. She smiled broadly and told me ‘you can do it’ and I believed her. I did not do well at all with the AC infusions I was so nauseated and couldn’t get off the toilet. My body was pissed! The doctor told me to come in and they would give me something intravenously to help with the nausea. Because of the 45 minute drive to the office I would be arriving close to the time they would be closing but Maria told me not to worry that she would be there. She was, with her warm smile and easy grace of putting me at ease. Maria tried for two and a half hours, well past closing, to help get rid of my nausea. She gave me everything she could. I was in tears, but Maria never complained, she just kept working and trying. Having done everything she could it was time for me to trek my way back home, but I still had one concern, there was no toilet in my car! I cried as I asked Maria for a diaper, humiliated with my situation. She helped me to laugh at my situation by saying with gentle eyes ‘Serenity, this is just another page in your book.’ This is why I adore Maria, she can make me laugh at the worst moments. Months later I found out that this night had been her anniversary night and her family had been waiting for her! That’s Maria-she unselfishly gives herself to me and her other patients always. Every time I come in for an infusion she never rushes to put my Huber needle in my port. She always takes a moment to sit down in front of me, look me in the eyes and pay me a compliment. She asks how I am doing and asks it genuinely, I know she really cares and isn’t just playing a part. Maria is a healer! She lights up a room and puts her patients at ease with her grace and care free smile. She is real, her laughter is infectious and sincere. I could not have been more blessed, Maria is my Angel. Overlooking me from one doctor to the next. I don’t think it was a coincidence that she is now working for my oncologist, I think God blessed me with her.