Q&A with Hazel Colson, hospice nurse

Residence: Warner Robins

Occupation: Nurse

Q: How long have you been a nurse?

A: Since 1945, so 71 years. I started through an Army cadet nurse program. They trained me at University Hospital in Augusta.

Q: And how old are you now?

A: Eighty-nine and a half.

Q: What drew you to nursing?

A: I knew I had a God-given gift. From the time I was 4 years old I knew I had a talent that was God-given.

Q: How do you remember it was at 4?

A: I had a puppy named Spotlight and a wagon ran over his leg. Not a toy wagon but a big farm wagon. I grew up on a farm in Wilkinson County. When the wagon ran over Spotlight’s leg what I did was get two sticks and bandage them around his leg. I was 4 and had never seen or heard of such a thing. It just came to me. That was the beginning.

Q: Then you learned more about nursing?

A: I never heard the word “nurse” or that there was such a thing until I was in first grade. They lined us up and said we were going to get shots. When we got there, I saw this lady dressed in white — that opened my eyes!

Q: From then on you aimed at nursing?

A: I knew I had this gift but there was no one to talk to about it. I just went through school. We didn’t have money for me to be a nurse, but when I was a senior I got a letter from Uncle Sam. A lot of seniors got letters saying the government would train us if we’d be nurses. This was during the war (World War II) and the military and the country needed nurses badly. The war was over when I graduated, but the country still needed nurses.

Q: Did you become an Army nurse?

A: No, the program was just to train nurses, not bring them into the Army.

Q: So from your perspective that was quite miraculous?

A: I won’t say the war was God’s way of making me a nurse, but he did use the circumstances. My source is God.

Q: Where did you begin nursing?

A: I married Jay Colson and we moved to Macon. I worked part-time for two years and Jay worked at Robins Air Force Base. We moved to Warner Robins in 1952. I was having babies during this time. We have three children.

Q: What did you do in Warner Robins?

A: I worked at the clinic on North Davis Drive. It opened in 1954 and was the first medical office. Brev Hunt at First United Methodist Church gave me a glass brick from the original Davis Drive clinic when it was torn down. First United had bought the property. When they built the hospital here in 1960, doctors moved to Hospital Drive and I worked for Dr. Billy Tolbert. When we moved to Warner Robins we went to Second Baptist Church, and when they started a mission, Evergreen Baptist, we went there. I’m still a member.

Q: You’ve experienced a lot of Warner Robins history as a nurse and now you’re with Heart of Georgia Hospice. How did that happen?

A: I work with a lot of good, good doctors and finally with Dr. (Eric) Zanghi until the late ‘80s. I also did skin cancer research for Dr. Beverly Sanders. But the next deal was hospice. I saw something in the paper about hospice needing nurses and I believed I could help. I wanted to give people the care and comfort they deserved. I started doing about 40-hours-a-week volunteer work with Heart of Georgia for a year before I started regular. It’s been 29 years. Now I help with training and other things.

Q: Hospice nursing must be different than the nursing you did before.

A: Not every nurse can be a hospice nurse. You’re with families at one of the worst parts of their life. Everyone’s got to live and die. I started out bringing babies into the world and now I help people leave it. I’ve actually given hospice care to two people I delivered as babies. Hospice nurses work with families and others to help their loved one receive care and be comfortable until their passing. You’re on call 24 hours a day.

Q: Through the years people who appreciate you have called you a lot of things, including “Huggin’ Hazel.” But now you’ve been called a rock star as well. What’s that about?

A: Oh, I was nominated and got the Robins Regional Chamber Rockstar award this year. I didn’t know what it was when they nominated me and wondered if I had to learn an instrument. But it’s the employee of the year award. I tell you, I knew other nominees and every one deserved it. But it’s a real honor.

Q: Any regrets pursuing a life of nursing?

A: Not one. Never. It’s why I can get up in the morning. I’ve never been burned out — tired, yes — but never burned out. My desire has always been to help others. I do like hugging people, too. I think people need hugging. A nurse helps physical pain and emotional, too. Maybe the most important thing for a nurse is to understand bedside nursing.

Q: Is there a memory that sum up your life as a nurse?

A: So many, but I can tell you about a hydrocephalic baby I cared for, a condition where fluid accumulates in the brain. They couldn’t operate. The little mother was 17 and had to learn to feed her baby through a tube and all that. She called me at 2 a.m. one morning said her baby was dead. I went over and we sat together and she held her baby until 6 a.m. when she was able to let it go and hand it to me. I’ve been there holding the hand of so many dying who looked over and gave me a smile. I believe they see a little bit of those heavenly streets paved with gold.

This story was originally published May 22, 2016 at 3:40 PM with the headline "Q&A with Hazel Colson, hospice nurse."