The Gift of Nightingale's Presence

Issue Editor's Note

Holistic nurses understand what it means to be with a patient and family to hear their story, as they are often our greatest teachers. As nurses, we must open our hearts and be present for all levels of suffering so that suffering may be transformed for others, as well as for the self. This story reveals connections to the sacred that involves feelings, thoughts, experiences, rituals, meaning, value, direction, and purpose. In this article, the author shares the journey with her husband from his brief diagnosis with metastatic pancreatic cancer to his final breath and transition. As you read this profound journey, drop into the present moment with deep listening and compassion as you bear witness while maintaining a spacious mindfulness in the midst of life's changing conditions.

—Barbara Dossey