In a recent post, Troutbend wrote about a bad experience regarding the sale of her farm property and the lawyers were responsible for a good deal of the problem. This post prompted a lot of derogatory lawyer jokes in the comments section and whenever this happens I think of Degna (pronounced with a Spanish “n”).

Degna is a registered nurse and was doing private cases when my late husband was ill. She was one of the shift nurses who cared for him in my New York loft. She is half black and half Italian, lovely to look at and as caring as Mother Theresa. Because she was so intelligent and personable, I grew very fond of her and there was no doubt that when she was there, nothing Jay needed was left unattended. She gave me peace of mind and I could leave for work without worry.

Degna was also studying for the bar. She thought she might go into malpractice law since she had so much knowledge of medical issues, having worked in hospitals. Often she had her laptop and lawbooks with her and during lulls in Jay’s care, would study.

She passed the bar the first time around. She interviewed for law jobs and could have gone to work for a corporate law firm easily making $75,000 a year within a short time. She chose instead to go to work for the Legal Aid Society. Her salary was not major. It was a surprising choice, considering how her salary working for a nursing agency was so low. The agencies charge a lot for at-home nurses and aides but that cost does not transfer to the worker.

Her work load at the Legal Aid was heavy. She said the upside was she wasn’t relegated to a research library doing back-up work for senior litigators. Instead she said she was thrown to the wolves on her first day, having to go to court immediately. She scrambled to keep up, not disgrace herself, and do some good work for her clients.

During the time I knew her she married her long-time boyfriend and had a baby. I don’t know if she has gone to work again or is too busy raising a family. Whatever she is doing, I feel sure she will again find herself doing good works for the public good.

As these matters go, she has moved on. I have observed that caregivers find it beneficial to let go of people they meet while in professional situations and I respect that, but I would have loved to keep her in my life.

So this is my tribute to Degna, nurse, lawyer, wife, mother, excellent all-around person.

xx, Teal