I’m back

…but with a heavy heart.

A few days ago, I planned a post about how I’ve faired since the massive ear infection/virus I suffered through, and how I’ve faired where school is concerned.

But I’m not going to write about that today.

I was perusing the facebook page of one of my friends. This friend is someone that I met while I was in in-centre dialysis. She was one of the hospital workers who transported patients from their rooms to dialysis, or from their rooms to medical tests/procedures. We became pretty close over the years…as would be expected considering my hospital stay track record.

Anyhow, I was on her page when I saw a status update that shocked me. She had R.I.P Hortense in her status.

Who’s Hortense? Well, she’s a dialysis nurse. She was probably in her forties. I didn’t see her too often when I switched to the morning shift, but I saw her often when I was in the evening shift. I remember a point in time when I stopped seeing her for a while. Then, she returned. I greeted her and told her I had been thinking about her, which I had, since I hadn’t seen her in a long time. She told me she had been sick…but she was back now. She wasn’t my nurse that day, but she was in my main area. We chatted and caught up. This was probably 3 years ago. Who know that that would be the last time we’d have a meaningful conversation?

She died fr0m cancer.

It’s just so unreal to me, because I remember all the times when I’ve been ill while in dialysis and she along with all the other nurses have been there for me. They all kind of take on this “super human” status to me…even moreso than doctors sometimes. That’s because it’s the nurses who roll up their sleeves and get in there when you need something.

Man, I’m so sad over this.