A Nurses Week Story From Erica
For Nurses Week, we’re honored to share Erica’s story and celebrate Nurse Jen P., an infusion center nurse who has been a steady source of support throughout Erica’s healthcare journey.
For Erica, Jen P. has been more than a nurse. She has been an advocate, a trusted presence, a source of humor, and someone who knew how to step in when things felt overwhelming. Her care has helped Erica through some of the hardest moments of her chronic illness journey, in both the big ways and the small ones that stay with you.
When My Health Turned My Life Upside Down
When I first started at my infusion center, my health had turned my life upside down. I was in the depths of my endometriosis journey and felt physically and mentally unwell. There were so many days where I felt like I was barely holding everything together.
During that time, I always turned to Nurse Jen P.
She became one of the people I knew I could count on. When you are dealing with chronic illness, so much of your life can feel consumed by appointments, symptoms, paperwork, medications, and trying to advocate for yourself. Having someone in your corner makes a difference you never forget.
The Nurse Who Knew How to Help
Nurse Jen P. noticed how hard things were before I even had to open my mouth. She was always so good at reading me and always knew how to help.
That kind of care is hard to explain unless you have experienced it. She could tell when I was struggling, even when I did not have the energy to say it out loud. She saw what I needed, stepped in when she could, and made me feel like I was not carrying everything alone.
She helped me get my placard, supported me with medications I had to fight so hard for, and helped me through the process of getting disability.
The Nurse Who Fought for Me
Jen P. is quick as a whip and always willing to lend a helping hand, whether she is leading her nursing staff or standing beside patients like me. She is always getting in touch with my doctor and advocating for the things I need.
That advocacy has meant everything to me.
When you are sick, it can feel exhausting to constantly explain yourself and fight for what your body needs. Jen P. has helped carry some of that weight. She has spoken up for me, helped me move things forward, and made sure my needs were heard.
She is the kind of nurse who does not just care in the moment. She follows through. She checks in. She helps make the next step feel possible.
The Only One I Trusted With My Veins
Fun fact: before I got my port, I would never let anyone besides Jen P. start a peripheral IV catheter on me.
She was so gentle and the best at finding my tricky little rolling veins. Anyone who has difficult veins knows how much trust that takes. IVs can be stressful, but with Jen P., I always felt like I was in the best hands.
Now, my port has been a lifesaver in every way for receiving my IV hydration and IV medications. But before that, Jen P. made those difficult IV days feel a little less scary.
The OG Best Nurse in My Healthcare Story
We call her Jen P. because our infusion center has many Jens, but to me, she will always be the OG best nurse in my healthcare story.
Jen P. has carried me through the hard and stepped in to help again and again. She has supported me every step of the way, and I truly cannot say enough good things about her. She is the best of the best.
She has been there through the overwhelming days, the stressful days, and the days when I needed someone to remind me I was not alone in it. She has become such an important part of my story, and I do not take that for granted.
For Nurse Jen P., the World’s “Okayest” Nurse
I always joke with Jen P. that she is the world’s okayest nurse because one day she wore a nurse badge reel that said that, and it has been a running joke ever since.
Of course, she is anything but “okayest.” She is one of a kind.
But that joke is part of what makes our relationship so special. Jen P. makes me laugh with her banter on the hardest days and lifts my spirits during the hardest times. When you spend so much time in medical spaces, that kind of humor matters. It makes the room feel lighter. It reminds you that joy and laughter can still exist, even when things are hard.
The Nurse Who Became Part of My Story
I owe my life to Jen P., and I am so grateful to be a patient at the infusion center where she works.
What I want her to know is that nobody can ever replace her. She is truly one of a kind and such a caring, amazing nurse. She has advocated so hard for me over the years and has always fought for what is best for me.
I am so grateful to be cared for by Nurse Jen P. and to live at the same time as her.
There are some people who leave a permanent mark on your healthcare journey. Jen P. is one of those people for me. She has helped me through moments that felt too heavy to carry alone, and she has done it with compassion, skill, humor, and so much heart.
Honoring Nurses Who Never Give Up on Their Patients
Erica’s story is a reminder that nurses make a difference in ways that go far beyond one appointment or one treatment day.
They notice. They advocate. They make the call. They find the vein. They remember the details. They bring humor into hard rooms. They help patients feel seen, supported, and less alone in systems that can often feel overwhelming.
This Nurses Week, we’re honoring nurses like Jen P. The ones who fight for their patients, make the hardest days lighter, and become an irreplaceable part of someone’s story.
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