Chicken Soup for the Nurse's Soul (2 page)

It’s been an honor to write, compile and edit
Chicken Soup for
the Nurse’s Soul.
What a privilege to read such outstanding stories from such loving caregivers. So first and foremost, we must thank the nearly three thousand health-care workers who shared their hearts and souls. Scores of them thanked
us
for prompting them to write about their experiences. Many wrote sentiments such as, “I know this won’t be published, but thank you for the inspirational, healing journey of writing it.” What a gift you’ve been to us!

To Peter Vegso, our dear publisher, we love you and thank you from the bottom of our hearts for publishing
Chicken Soup
for the Nurse’s Soul.
Thank you on behalf of all of the
Chicken
Soup for the Soul
family. We appreciate and love you, Peter!

Bless our families for all of their love and support on this project: Inga, Patty, Mark, Kirk, Christopher, Travis, Riley, Melanie, Elizabeth, Christie, Angela and Mitch.

We are grateful to the following people who read and scored nearly two hundred stories and helped make the final selections: Helen Colella, D’ette Corona, Berniece Duello, Margaret Hill, Mary Hjerleid, Ellen Javernick, Sondra Keeler, Sally Kelly-Engeman, Barbara LoMonaco, Heather McNamara, Linda Mitchell, Linda Osmundson, Carol Rehme, Gayle Stringer, Christie Thieman and Mark Thieman.

A special thanks to the nurses on our reading team who brought their experienced perspective to the selection process: Linda Beckwith, Jeannie Eylar, Bonnie Ford, Susan Goldberg, Lisa Heiney, Jackie Johnson, Holly Leo, Mary McMahon, Tonya Motley, Suzanne Phelan, Pat Richardson, Kay Rosenthal, Cheryl Roth, Diane Sieg, Jery Sigl, Bonnie Urie, Sharon Williams and Kristina Winch.

Josephine Adams donated her skill as a college English professor to do final editing of the manuscript. Her expertise was invaluable.

Thanks to Pat Mahan from
Nurse-Recruiter.com
who encouraged contributions in each monthly issue of his e-zine publication. And Kay Rosenthal, Ph.D., R.N., for sharing stories from her
Rural Nurse Organization’s Anthology
.

Mark Victor Hansen’s entire staff: Patty Hansen, Trudy Marschall, Maria Nickless, Laurie Hartman, Michelle Adams, Tracy Smith, Dee Dee Romanello, Dawn Henshall, Lisa Williams, Kristi Knoppe, David Coleman, Laura Rush, Paula Childers, Tanya Jones, Faith Fuata and Shanna Vieryra.

And Jack Canfield’s entire staff: Patty Aubery, Deborah Hatchell, Heather McNamara, D’ette Corona, Veronica Romero, Cindy Holland, Robin Yerian, Vince Wong and Geneva Lee. Special thanks to Leslie Riskin for her efficiency and kindness in acquiring the permissions. Leslie, we love you and cherish your friendship!

A special thanks to Health Communications for their ongoing support: Terry Burke, Kim Weiss, Kelly Johnson Maragni, Allison Janse, Christine Belleris, Lisa Drucker and Susan Tobias.

To LeAnn’s assistant and marketing agent, Amy Williams, who managed LeAnn’s speaking business brilliantly while she read stories and read stories and read stories. . . .

And to LeAnn’s mom, Berniece Duello, who by living her life in compassionate service, taught LeAnn the virtues of nursing.

A tremendous thank-you to Mark, LeAnn’s graphic designer, webmaster, technical-support technician, editor, soul mate and husband of thirty-one years: “Couldn’t do it without you; wouldn’t want to try.” And to Angela, Christie and Mitch who believed in their mom even before she did.

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