February 5, 2007
To Whom It May Concern:
I will never forget the look on her face when her mom showed her the Boston Herald. I will never forget the look on her face when 7 News came to her room. I will never forget her confessing her love to me about Trot Nixon. I will never forget our walk together in the Butterfly Garden or the hug she gave me before I left. I will never forget the autographed newspaper I took home with me. Most importantly though, I will never forget how she introduced me to her friend, to her grandparents and to 7 News as, “This is Lane, she’s one of my nurses. Well, actually she’s my favorite nurse; she let me tell her about Trot Nixon. But, don’t tell the other nurses, because I like them a lot too. They are all making me better.”
Driving into Boston that morning with a good family friend, Maureen, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Maureen has been a nurse at Children’s Hospital in Boston for twenty years and always knew I was interested in majoring in the healthcare field. When I applied to UNH, I knew I wanted to major in something in the healthcare field, but wasn’t sure if nursing was the right thing for me. Talking to Maureen one afternoon, she suggested I shadow her to get a first hand experience in the field. I immediately took advantage of the opportunity and after shadowing Maureen in the ICU at Children’s, I not only knew that I could see myself as a nurse, but it was something that Maureen and her staff reiterated to me that they could see me being successful in.
Over the summer, I shadowed Maureen several times and had the opportunity to shadow her co-workers in the different floors of the hospital, which each offered different perspectives in the nursing field. The first day I shadowed Maureen, I had the opportunity to meet a sweet, vibrant young girl, Lexi Skye. Although only nine years old, Lexi Skye is one of the most extraordinary and strongest individuals I’ve ever met. Lexi had been diagnosed with a rare form of brain cancer, and was wrapping up her third round of intense chemotherapy. I remember walking into the room with Maureen and seeing Lexi’s face light up saying, “Maureen! I haven’t seen you in a few days!” Maureen responded, “I know Lexi, I’ve been assigned to other patients, but I hear you’re doing great!” Lexi responded, “Oh…yes I really am!” Maureen introduced me, and immediately I felt a bond with Lexi that I’ve never felt before. Maureen told Lexi that I was going to college in the fall and was interested in becoming a nurse. Something about Lexi, whether it was her upbeat personality, her willingness to be herself or her positive outlook on life touched me in a way that I still struggle to describe.
I spent eight hours with Lexi that day. Eight hours that flew by, and eight hours I would repeat in a heartbeat. Lexi showed me everything in her room, from how her catheter worked, to how to read the heart beat machine to shutting off that ‘annoying beeping’ noise that sounded when something wasn’t right. That day was special for me, because I was able to bond with an individual who had endured much more than an eighteen year old like me has endured. That same day, Lexi happened to be front and center of a story that ran in the Boston Herald. Her room, overlooking what looks like a steel frame, but in reality is becoming a new building of Brigham and Women’s Hospital had a message written, “Get Better Lexi Skye,” from the construction workers who heard of Lexi’s story. The article along with the colored picture was something that gave me chills just looking at. Lexi, now considered famous by the hospital staff, was interviewed by 7News, got to meet her longtime crush Trot Nixon, and began giving out autographs. I was lucky enough to be one of those individuals who not only got an autograph from Lexi but also a picture. To this day, that picture and the autographed newspaper are in my scrapbook, something that I will always cherish. And, to this day Lexi and I still keep in touch, writing letters to each other, and it’s so rewarding to hear that she currently is in remission.
Deciding to become a nurse is something that is both challenging and rewarding, but in the end it’s something that allows you to learn a lot about yourself. Nursing isn’t for the one, who just wants to help people, nor the person who just wants to make a lot of money, or someone who just wants to be a nurse because of the shortage. Rather, nursing is something that one must have a passion for. Meeting Lexi Skye opened up a whole new world of nursing that I wasn’t aware of, something that makes you really step back and appreciate life each day and not take anything for granted. If I have the opportunity to meet more people like Lexi, I will truly treasure our time together, and make sure I am someone that they feel comfortable being around, hugging, walking with or talking to, even if it is about their biggest crush.
Sincerely,
Lane M. Murphy
