Heroes on the home front

Sherri touches the lives of all of her clients, bringing peace, comfort, and a sense of normalcy to families at a time in their lives when they need it the most. A former client’s wife explains, “Sherri became the nurse so I could step back and be the spouse. She made my family the priority.”

Sherri’s concern for this client extended beyond her normal duties as a nurse. Her client was in desperate need of a hospital bed, but delivery was delayed because the bridge to his home was washed out in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene. Sherri jumped into action and called the company that was supplying the bed, convincing them to bring it through the woods and set it up for her client.

“Sherri was the beacon of light that came in the door, the one who knew how to fix things and who to call,” remembers her client’s wife. “Sherri lit up the room—actually, our whole house. She came in with a smile and convinced me that whatever the concern or question, there was someone there to sooth my spirits and concerns.”

Sherri’s “light” shines brightly in all that she does. The many physicians, nurses, social workers, chaplains, home health aides, and volunteers who have been fortunate enough to work with her have all felt its warm glow. Dr. Jonna Goulding, director of palliative and spiritual care at Central Vermont Medical Center says, “Sherri can work with all types of people from farmers to tradesmen, artists, and intellectuals. Sherri’s calming presence, sense of humor, playfulness, and comforting nature puts her clients and their families at ease. Her clients consider her a hero, and so do I.”

The client is a middle-aged woman who is blind, has a traumatic brain injury, and has suffered amputations above the knee. The client’s team of aides work 12-hour shifts and are required to do everything from housekeeping, pet care, shopping, and arranging physician and physical therapy appointments. Due to a depression and lack of activity and interest in rehab, the client gained weight, causing her to no longer fit into her prosthetic legs. While a strong commitment from the team is necessary for this client’s care to be effective, what the team really needed was a leader to initiate and coordinate the client’s activities. That person turned out to be Regina.

Determined to get her client “back on track,” Regina decided the first thing her client needed was a special computer for the blind so she could join Weight Watchers and the whole team could track the client’s food and progress. Sharon adds, “Regina had to gather the whole team so everyone would be on the same page with shopping, cooking, and tracking progress.” Regina set a date for her client to walk, not wheel, herself into a Weight Watchers meeting. After much practice, determination in therapy, and a loss of 48 pounds, the day had come. In addition to her client’s Weight Watchers support group, Regina arranged for other regional Weight Watchers representatives, her BAYADA team of aides and her BAYADA office managers to attend. The whole room clapped when Regina’s client arrived.

The client shares, “Regina is determined to help me meet my goals. I wouldn’t be able to do what I do without her. Now, I’m trying to be a better person.”