Bonnie,

First let me start by saying how much I love your show!!! Your special on nurses made me cry,I lost my Mother in January of 2008 to ovarian cancer. My Mom was everything to me and I have had to learn to live life all over again without her. My Mom fought a courage's battle for 10 years until her body not her spirit couldn't take anymore. I cared for her in my home with the help of her lifelong friend who was a nurse until she got too sick and needed round the clock care that the 2 of us alone could no longer provide.My mom could not come to terms with dying and was scared to go to hospice because in her eyes that meant the end so her oncologist Dr. Geoffrey Wisch who I could never thank enough for all he did to keep my Mom with us as long as she was put her under his care in the hospital where I met the most caring wonderful nurses who brought my Mother to the end of her life with dignity.My Mom was in the hospital for 2 months and I can't tell you how many nights they sat and held her hand when she couldn't breathe from anxiety. These nurses touched my family's lives in a way nobody else ever will. I could never thank them enough for all they did for my Mom , Sister and I. It takes a special person to do the job they do and don't get enough credit for. Thank you to nurses everywhere who treat patients like they would their own family.

For all the nurses, a tribute....

"Thank You Nurse"
It is 5 am, my bed light comes on and a smile greets my morning.

It is time to get ready for our trip downstairs.

Another smile greets me in preop, and another smile preps me for surgery.

A smile and a gentle touch on my forehead are the last things I remember.

A smile and a gentle touch on my forehead greet me as I awaken. I am on a respirator and cannot speak- fear grips me momentarily. Her gentle words and touch calm me. "You are doing great and are going to be just fine. Better than ever."

The nurses never left my side for my entire eighteen hour stay in cardiac surgical intensive care. They were my nurses.

For five more days my nurses encouraged me and pushed me to sit up, stand, walk, walk and walk some more. They monitored me and followed my doctors' orders.

At the end of my twelve hours with atrial fibrillation, my nurse came running into my room waving my EKG strip in the air and joyfully exclaiming- "normal sinus rhythm- here's a souvenir for you". She was more excited than I was.

My night nurses were especially comforting, they knew the psychological impact of what I had been through, six bypasses and the fear of being alone at night. I never felt that I was alone.

It was time to go home, when insurance said it was time to go home and my nurses gathered around to hug me goodbye and wish me God speed.

My home health nurse supported me for about a week before setting me free or rather weaning me off all of the TLC.

To all the nurses here tonight..."Never stop caring and never stop smiling" Thank you from all of the patients out there and especially from the one up here.

Dr. Richard Faircloth
Nurses' Pinning Ceremony, May 2000 & 2002

e-mail rfaircloth@aacc.edu

I meant to do this yesterday, but I just wanted to say how much I loved seeing all the nurses on Tuesday's show. I am 23 years old and have been a paraplegic since age 1. I have had 25 surgeries in my lifetime, and have been under the care of many nurses. My mother is also a nurse. She is a nurse practitioner now, but she was an RN for ten years and actually started out on the Oncology ward. She is the best nurse I know of. All I really wanted to do was thank the great nurses I have had, and I wanted to say to anyone out there thinking of becoming a nurse, only do it if you love it, because I have had my share of bad nurses too and they make the hospital stay harder. I think you can only be a good nurse if you truly love it.

Katie

Hi Bonnie,

You are a great story teller! Diahann Carroll mentioned a story of you helping a passenger on a flight you were on. I know you are not one to toot your own horn, but PLEASE tell us the story. I'm sure others would be interested to hear it.

Love the show,
Vince

Bonnie, Just wondering, my wife Debbie just loves your show no matter the topic, because she relates to you very well being a midwestern girl herself. Always looking to get her a gift for my early Christmas shopping for her. Do you have any type of gift shop site, for tee shirts and the such? By the way when she controls the remote [on those few occasions], I do voluntarily watch myself. Thanks for your time, George Donati 1143 Gress Street, Manville, New Jersey 08835 Thank you again!

Bonnie,

I just had to take a moment to thank you for todays show. Your appreciation and love for the Nursing profession means the world to me. I'm a Critical Care Nurse in Philadelpia, Pa. I love my job but but sadly there are days that I come home with heartache. Not due to the work I do, but simply because I feel unappreciated and even abused by a patient or family.

We work so hard to do what we do, and nursing sadly doesn't always get the respect it so deserves.

Thank you once again for allowing us to be appreciated.

Kathy Leszczynski
Philadelphia, Pa

Hi Bonnie --

As always love your show - was soooooo very happy to see the wonderful tribute you did to nurses. Your comments are so heartfelt and do so much to advance the profession and recognize the hard work that often people don't realize until they are hospitalized.

I'm also hoping that maybe, just maybe it was my email suggestion that helped formulte this show.

Love your mom's "three nurses joke".

Dear Bonnie
I went through a very long treatment of cemo for stage three inflamitory breast cancer. I had an iv of taxol once a week with cytoxion every day and afterthat I went through tamoxifen this lasted from july through january. after that I had my masectomy and then radiation.the shole time trying to get my saughter through her last two years of high school by myself. by some act of God I was able to drive myself to my treatments. but once I got there there were these wonderful women who always had a smile on thier faces and would joke with you about how your eyes stuck closed because you had no more eye lashes and would stand with you so you didnt fall and you could always tell when they lost someone no matter how hard they tried to hide thier pain. It takes a very very VERY SPECIAL person to work in this field. my love and prasies to you and every one who opens thier hearts to the sick. by the way happy news Iam cancer free for four years.

Bonnie, you are fabulous. Do me a favor, please don't repeat "we'll be right back". Oprah does that. We heard the first time.
Seriously, you are absolutely wonderful. Your family is wonderful. Get them all on, if you can. I grew up in an Irish Catholic family with parents who stayed together. You bring up lots of memories. I want to hear about nuns in your life!!!

Best wishes & blessings~~~ I'm spiritual, not religious...

Caio

Bonnie,

I've been a fan for a long time. I think you're
so talented and funny and quick-witted. But I
hope you can get back to mixing in some "funny"
with all the oh-so-heartfelt stuff. I mean, is
this a talk show or a revival meeting? You are
certainly loved and respected for your big tender
heart, but I don't want to keep tuning in just to
be teary eyed for an hour every day.

Good luck with the show!

Sonja

Hi Bonnie!

That is my dog and cat in the video you showed!!! I cant believe you showed my video and I missed it!!! My little Mika (my pitbull) would have gone crazy to see herself on tv!!! Thank you for showing my video and I hope you enjoyed it!!!

I love your show and all that you do, my mom and watch you all the time! But of course, somehow I missed yesterdays show! AHHH!!!

Take care :)

Michelle

Listen here Miss Bonnie and listen well. When Diann Carroll was speaking about you on the plane and how compassionate you were with that woman and you said any nurse would have done the same thing I was like. No, Even if you hadn't been a nurse Bonnie, you would have done the same thing. You have the soul of a true angel. It is evident in your eyes, and the emotions you share with us on your show. You let us into your family and into your heart. You almost nearly bring me to tears on your shows, either by something that touches you and makes you cry or something that makes you laugh it brings tears to my eyes. You are a blessing and we are all better for getting to see you everyday. Thank you Angel.

Love

Melinda

Bonnie,
Thank you for your show and honoring Nurses. I've been an RN for 28 years. There have been good shifts and bad shifts, I try to only think about the good shifts.
I now work in a Mom/Baby unit. I love all the teacheable moments in my day.
I am glad that I work with a great group of nurses. They help to make my work day enjoyable.
I love your show and your Mother. My Mother died a year ago and would love to be able to speak to her once more.
Dympna

Bonnie love your show ,try not to miss it especially when your Mother is on, she is so delghtful. Have an idea for your show, how about if you have a veiwer of the day, or week, or month and give them the same give aways that the studio audience gets, will cost a little in shippng fees but so what1 of course I would like to be the first viewer of the month. I would come to the show since it"s not so far away but I don"t drive, no car, poor vision,etc. Much love and luck to you and a special shout out to Alice.

Hey Bonnie, I love your show. Today's show really caught my attention though. I am a 20 year old nursing student myself and it is great to hear all the positive things that were said about nurses on your show today. I've only been in nusing school for one semester, but I already got a taste of the good feeling you get when you are able to make a difference in a patient's life even if it's just because you made them feel comfortable or listened to them when they tell you their problems. Nurses are truely great and nursing is a very rewarding job. And I hope to one day be the best nurse that I can be because I want to make a difference in lots of people's lives.

Bonnie, Great show today. It touched my heart as my late wife was an R.N. for over 36 years. She started life as an orphan in the Salvation Army Hospital in Chicago, and was adopted through the Augustana Lutheran Church. She began her nursing career at a private practice in Napa, California for a couple of years. Then she joined the staff at Imola Psychiatric Hospital, also in Napa. A few years later she joined the staff at Kaiser Permanente in Vallejo, CA. I met her in 1973 and when I was transfered to Long Beach (US Navy), she and her 3 daughters went with me. She then joined the oncology staff at Memoria Hospital in Long Beach. One of her early patients was a man in his late 30's with cancer, and undergoing chemo, radiation, etc. He had lost his hair, was on the pot with the green apple quick step and holding an emison basin that held his latest meal. He looked at my wife and said, "I don't know which is worse, the cancer or the cure." Her last position at Memorial was on the staff of cardiac rehab. She left Memorial in 1989 and went to work at Doctor's Hospital in Santa Ana, leaving in 1996 due to arthritus in her hips. She loved nursing and all the testimonies you taped today would have resonated with her because that is how she thought of her career. Unfortunately she succumbed to flesh eating bacteria in 2004, but I feel that she is looking down and giving you a huge applause for the show today. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Bonnie,

Another great show! Just adore your Mom...she is absolutely adorable. Loved her notepad..her jokes and just her presence. I lost my Mom a little over a year ago and today is her Birthday and I miss her so so much. I just loved my Mom..and it was a nice surprise to tune in today and see your Mom on your show. Thanks Bonnie, for being so kind and so much fun to watch everyday.

Kelly
LA, CA.

I just had to comment about the guy who parks in the handicap spaces. My uncle is handicap and when he finds a car parked in handicap without the handicap verification. He parks behind them and goes about his business and comes back when he's feels like it (usually finding something else to do to waist and watch them get all flustered after doing what ever he came to do). Then he goes back to his truck (in his wheelchair) when the person is good and fired up and shares a few choice words with them, basically who are you to get made at me when you parked in my parking space. I think it runs in the family! LOL
My grandma did volunteer work at a thrift store and if the customers were rude she would find the oldest, dirtiest, money in the drawer for their change.
Katie :)

SORRY I DIDN'T MENTION THE NURSES IN MY PREVIOUS POSTING. I MEANT NO DISRESPECT. LUCKILY I HAVE HAD VERY FEW INCOUNTERS WITH NURSES BUT THE FEW THAT I HAVE HAD HAVE BEEN THE BEST.

I just happened to turn on your show and saw all the nurses. I am a newly retired LPN, due to my own health issues I was forced to quit. I have been an LPN since 1970 and received my license after the 3rd try on licensure in 1972. I loved meeting the different people and the trust they give back. I have also been a patient myself in the past couple of years and it is a real education being on the other side, I found myself repeating frequently "I am a nurse" as if that would mean I understood everything and really didn't. When it is you getting treatment you find you don't want the medical terms, you want the down to earth information.
I just wanted to say thanks for focusing on the nurses.