WMCMA President's Message

June 2010

I am back from the national conference and it was MAGICAL, as the Disney staff put it. The Keynote speakers were truly inspiring. Lee Woodruff did a delightful job in giving us insight into the injury and recovery of her husband, Bob Woodruff, ABC news anchor. I know more about social media than I thought I needed (Watch out, I will soon be "tweeting" away!). The one thing I did this year was stay until the end of the Coast-to-Coast dinner party. This year it was held at the Hollywood Studios Theme Park. There was a lot to do: I did a little shopping, took photos, danced on the street, but I chose not to do the rides concerned I'd set off my vertigo. It was refreshing to see familiar faces and network with others. This truly was a place where one gets transformed into Princes and Princesses and everyone who parties has a ball.

On the home front, soon after we returned from Orlando, my mother was admitted to the hospital. I must say that I was humbled by this experience. I found myself overwhelmed by the change in my mother's condition and was now faced with the possibility of being her home infusion nurse and intermittent caregiver. Then again, after conversations with the physician-led team it was beginning to look like my mother was not going to be able to return home without rehabilitation. I heard myself telling my mother things that I have told patients and families many times..."this is for a short duration; the best facility is where I can be there to see you as frequently as I can." I went through the process of touring facilities and finally working with our social worker on the transfer process.

Despite the fact that I work in an acute care hospital myself, it truly was different to be on the other side of the coin. I cannot imagine how it is to be in the shoes of someone whose loved one is more critically ill or those who have to be in this situation over an extended period of time.

I want you to know that I appreciate what you do, how you listened and how you continued to ask questions until I finally realized what you were driving at. I want to thank you for advocating for my mother and me and allowing me realize that it is okay to not be the "end all and be all" just because I am a nurse and this is what I do for a living.

It is my hope that having been the recipient of such compassion I will be cognizant of opportunities to pay this act forward.

Sincerely,

Tess Brown WMCMA
President 2010

• 2010 WMCMA Board of Directors
• President: Tess Brown
• Vice-President/President-elect for 2011: Gloria Simmons
• Treasurer: David McCaughey
• Secretary: Cathy Jo Hall
• Directors (Board members at large):
  • Nicole Kline
  • Jill Easton
  • Mary Hughes
  • Brent Korte
  • Karen Ledoux
  • Christopher Mendez
  • Kathy Parry
  • Diane Stortz
• Immediate Past President: Dianne Gesner-Moore
• Executive Director: Sharon Berry