When the caregiver becomes the patient

UCF Lake Nona Hospital Nurse Leader Charmaine Hudson worked hard showing up for her patients and colleagues, providing excellent care while leading her team as director of the Medical Surgical department.

She never dreamed six months after opening the technologically-advanced HCA Florida Healthcare hospital, a lump she detected under her arm would transition her to the receiving end of the compassionate patient-centered care she and her team so expertly provided. A mammogram screening and more tests revealed breast cancer, stage 3, and aggressive.

No one expects to receive that news. The tests, the diagnoses, the illness, the fear. There’s no “Save the Date” notification. Faced with her new reality and the long road ahead Hudson stood firm on her Christian faith. “I took a deep breath, prayed and felt peace. I knew it was going to be okay,” she said.

Oncologist Dr. Michel Velez provided hope telling Hudson that together they would beat this cancer, and a year later the battle would be over. “Dr. Velez was knowledgeable, attentive, responsive, compassionate; the perfect oncologist you want in your corner.”

Throughout six months of intense chemotherapy even though sick, she remained positive, buoyed by the constant messages of encouragement from family, friends and coworkers. “I couldn’t eat or even sleep because I felt so awful, and then the doorbell rang and there was this big box. Wendy, my thoughtful CEO from the hospital, had ordered her favorite ice cream and had it shipped to me. That ice cream was the perfect thing.”

Once completed a biopsy showed the chemo had been successful and cancer was no longer detected. One of her last steps was follow-up radiation treatments and Hudson shares how much she appreciated the radiation oncology team at UCF Lake Nona Hospital. “The team was simply amazing, and Dr. Rajpara was wonderful, gentle and always willing to listen.”

Putting the battle behind her Hudson recounts the many blessings the past year brought including deeper and more meaningful relationships with those closest to her.

“Through it all I was loving life. I got so much closer with my God and he is my everything. I did not know it was possible to love my hubby more than I did, but I do. He is my best friend and has been by my side every second. My daughter Abby was my joy, my HCA work family supported me, and I had so many people praying for me. Isn’t that amazing?”

“It sounds strange, but the whole experience was really beautiful and I thank God for this journey.”