Abstract

I have recently been in situations where people were walking through “the valley of the shadow of death” (Psalm 23). A mother lost her oldest son, age 27, in an accidental shooting. His injuries were massive, but he remained on life support for 3 days. In another instance, a 32-year-old, active woman, went to see her physician because she wasn't feeling well. After blood work, she was admitted to the hospital with a diagnosis of acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). She underwent bone marrow tests and was immediately started on aggressive chemotherapy. These are but a few cases of the myriad examples we see daily in nursing practice of patients walking through the “valley of the shadow of death” (Psalm 23:4).