16 January 2022
It is not often that you meet someone who touches your life the way Dr. Nelson touched mine. It is difficult to speak of Dr. Nelson in the past tense. I guess I always thought he would be here with us. Saying that I wish I had spent more time with him. My relationship with Dr. Nelson began many years ago. I was 19 and had just finished medical assistant school. I was in search of a clinic to complete my externship. I decided to try knocking on the doors of a new medical complex that had opened up next to SE Baptist Hospital.
What struck me was the way Dr. Nelson himself greeted me at the window. He was so very warm and cheerful saying “wow you came at just the right time we could sure use the help”. I was thrilled at the chance to work with this new pediatrician! In the weeks and months that followed I watched and learned much from Dr. Nelson and his first assistant Bernice. I found Dr. Nelson to be tireless, generous, funny and kind. He was Always interested concerned with his patients families and their welfare. Dr. Nelson was a man who dedicated himself to his profession. There were always new patients who desired his personalized care that he brought untiringly to his practice. It was not uncommon for him to open up his clinic in the middle of the night to care for a sick child just so that the parent’s didn’t have to take their child to the Emergency Room where they would have to wait hours for treatment. Patients knew that with Dr. Nelson the doctor was always available. His patients trusted and loved the care as Dr. Nelson trusted and cared for his patients. When my training was complete to my surprise Dr. Nelson offered me a full time position! For the first time in my life Dr. Nelson gave me a career and was a great mentor for my life. Dr. Nelson instilled a team effort with myself and Bernice. It was my dream to have a career like this! I was part of a team that had only one goal…make the ill and hurting well again. When it came time to celebrate life and its accomplishments Dr. Nelson was the leader of his entire staff. I remember the surprise when Dr. Nelson said that his entire office staff were to go on a dream vacation. He Nelson took his team of coworkers on a dream vacation to Germany. We were a team…a special team! He made all of us special and we celebrated as a team in Germany! His desire was to expand our horizons and see some of the sights of the world that he knew about! Germany and the movie “Sound of Music” were always special to him and he wanted his staff who had rarely if ever been outside of south Texas to experience those joys. It was the trip of a lifetime. One that I will remember always. Yes, he was generous and kind. My world came crashing down when on one sad day Dr. Nelson announced he was moving away to another town in Texas. I was devastated! I questioned why move? My career tumbled and I feared the worst for the future. What I didn’t know was that Dr. Nelson was working behind the scenes to take care of his team. During one of his hospital rounds he alerted another pediatrician of his moving plans and he helped me find another practice to continue my career. He left me in good hands that helped guide my future.
Miles may have separated Dr. Nelson and myself but we were still a team and we stayed in constant contact. It was always fun catching up on the latest news. He was always curious about how family and their welfare. My children loved their pediatrician (Dr. Nelson) and always desired to see him and to learn how he was doing. Families enriched our lives and our mothers were always a constant topic of discussion. Both Dr. Nelson’s mother and my mother were of the same generation and age and we both shared our love for our families.
I will forever miss our talks, but they bring smiles to my face when I recall many of the talks.
Dr. Nelson was a beam of shining light that shown the pathway for my future. It was Dr. Nelson who lead me down the career path that required many years of education. I know Dr. Nelson was proud of my accomplishments. I am now a Family Nurse Practitioner who still treats patients the way Dr. Nelson would. I best like treating the little ones like Dr. Nelson showed me as a beginning Medical Assistant.. I will always cherish the memories I have of working with Dr. Nelson and I consider myself blessed to have known him. There will always be a special place for him in my heart.
Lisa Hooper Hensley
January 19, 2022
