You Are Enough—A Schwartz Center Rounds Story About the Power of Presence

Lori’s Story

I’ve worked in healthcare for many years—as a CNA, an EMT, and an RN. I’ve worked the floors, the calls, the chaos, and the heartbreak.

But my understanding of care changed forever in 2009.

My daughter Lexie fought a devastating battle with H1N1. After 27 days in the PICU, my beautiful Lexie passed away at just 15 years old.

When the room emptied and the noise faded, I was alone with her. The weight of that moment was crushing. I truly felt like my own life might end too. But I didn’t. I stayed.

Like so many of us do when we don’t know what else to do, I went into auto‑mode. I started cleaning the room. Taking posters off the walls. Picking up her things. Anything to avoid the truth in front of me.

Then a brand‑new nurse, just off orientation, looked at me and said, “Lori, come put your hands on your daughter. This is the last time you will touch her.”

I froze. She was right.

That young nurse—who didn’t yet understand every lab, who couldn't interpret every test— understood something far more important: that a mother would never touch her daughter again. 

She stayed with me, and in silence, she helped me care for Lexie one last time.

In that moment, she was more than enough. She was everything.

It wasn't her charting, clinical perfection, or ability to quote policy I needed.

She gave me something no policy or protocol could give me: understanding, presence, love, and compassion.

What mattered was that she was there. Present for the small victories. Present for heartbreak. Present so I wasn't alone in the worst moment of my life.

And that changed how I see care.

What Families Remember

When you've been on both sides of the bed, you learn something no textbook teaches: Families don't remember your perfect documentation or your flawless time management. They remember how you made them feel. They remember your presence, your compassion, your humanity.

What "You are Enough" Really Means

"You are enough" doesn't mean you never make mistakes or feel overwhelmed. It also doesn't mean you can carry every patient's pain.

It means your presence matters. Your judgment matters. Your boundaries matter and your humanity is not a flaw—it is the point!

You are enough because you show up with humanity in a world that desperately needs it, because you care even when you're exhausted, because you stay even when it hurts. You are enough because you truly see people in their most vulnerable moments.

And that is more than enough. That is everything.

Lori Price, RN

Schwartz Center Rounds

Lori Price, an RN on CNRV's Acute Hemodialysis unit, shared the story above during last month's Schwartz Center Rounds, speaking from her experiences as both a caregiver and family member.

That's the power of Schwartz Center Rounds—they provide a safe space to reflect on the emotional and human side of our work in healthcare. Sessions are centered around real experiences and include perspectives from both clinical and non-clinical employees. 

By hearing stories like this, we can:

• Recognize that others have similar experiences and challenges
• Reflect on their own interactions with patients and families
• Connect the value of compassion and presence to everyday work

Schwartz Center Rounds are not focused on clinical outcomes or processes, but rather the emotional and human experience of caregiving. The program helps healthcare workers understand that what we bring to each interaction—even in the small moments—matters. 

For more information about Schwartz Center Rounds and the upcoming topics, contact Deb Ferron, Clinical Ethics, at dmferron@carilionclinic.org or Phyllis Whitehead, Clinical Ethics, at pbwhitehead@carilionclinic.org.