Some of her most rewarding experiences were when she was a hospice nurse. To see people that are really struggling with very serious illnesses and just to watch how many of them have done it with grace and dignity has been a real gift to me, she said. And to be able to be a guest in their home at that time and so forth has really been a wonderful learning experience for me in many ways.
One of Gomes most powerful experiences as a hospice nurse was assisting a woman in passing away from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig s disease. That woman was Gomes best friend who was able to pass away at home with her beloved golden retriever beside her.