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26 comments:
One of my memories of Karen comes from our family trip (Becky, Bruce, Kyle, Doug, and Karen) to New York a couple of years ago. She was great to travel with and we would have been lost in the City without her. But I remember at her encouragement going to a vacant lot flea market in lower midtown Manhatten and her excitement of finding it very much like a flea market of her olden days in the city. She truly loved the city.
Dr. Paine & I would always be the last ones at the office... we talked about so many things! We would stay until 8:30 some nights just chattering & laughing! Not only was she a great MD; she was a great friend, a great listener (& talker!)she was my mom at work!
My favorite memory (which I finally confessed to her at her house right after she got out of the hospital the first time)... Was; she would fly out of a room or her office & she would start talking about all this lab/MD talk to me... so I would give her this really clueless type of look... she would get so aggrevated with me, storm off & yell for Lisa Marie! So... when I came clean with her & told her that I did it because #1: I really had no idea what she was talking about... #2: Most of the time, she was pretty mad when she did that & I figured better Lisa Marie than me... & #3: Usually Lisa Marie either had the answer, could find the answer, or could make up an answer;( and it always made Dr. Paine happy!) She told me that she was trying to teach me something... I said "Well Dr. Paine... you did; you taught me how to perfect a facial expression!". She just laughed!!! That really loud, belly laugh she used to do! Eventually... "LISA MARIE" being called from Dr. Paine's office had an amusing ring to it!!! I would give anything to hear that now! I was so lucky to have had so much time with such an incredible person! Closing up is pretty lonely without her... but I know she's there; she's in my heart! She touched so many!
I knew Dr Paine for a little over a year as her patient at First Choice. She was so smart and very intent on taking my (continuous)complaints seriously. She was the ultimate professional, but you could tell there was a sense of humor behind her "doctor" face. I went to see her the first time she was in Rex after she became ill. We talked about her days in medical school. I told her she meant a lot to me.
My son was the one that told me of her passing. He knew personally of her caring work at the Healing Place. I know her work there was much appreciated.
She will be missed by many.
I will forever be grateful to Dr. Paine. She is the only doctor that took the time to listen seriously about my medical complaints and properly diagnosed my medical condtion. My family and I will never forget her, she was a unique person. She was a great patient advocate and a very caring doctor. Her seriousness with a twist of humor was delightful. She always told you just like it was in black and white and there was no questions to be asked when she finished explaining. I will truly miss her!!
That first comment above from "anonymous" was me (Bruce...Karen's brother). I made the mistake of clicking "anonymous", but have since learned to click "other" instead.
It's really hard and hurtful to say goodbye to Dr. Paine; she is such a kind and gentle soul who helped so many people, me included, especially.
Thank you yet again Dr. Paine for helping me so much and in so many ways! I am grateful to you and I do take comfort in the fact that I told you over and again how much you meant to me, and to others, and thanked you verbally and in written form for extending yourself to help me. I made sure you knew how much you mattered!
So many stories, but a couple:
(as she's calling me on the phone) 'hey Paul, it's me, Dr. Paine....today I gotta be a pain!'
'hey Paul, just bring everyone over for a flu shot. i can just shoot everyone there, no need to come over here.' (hahahaha).
so, my daughter Emily (6yo at the time) is totally afraid of needles and here comes Doc to 'shoot Emily'; Emily goes darting across the room and I have the vivid memory of seeing Karen chasing Emily and telling her 'now Emily, we are NOT EVEN (Karen's emphasis) gonna worry about that!'
We used to sit in her office and laugh all the time. No matter how busy she was (she had so many patients) she ALWAYS made time to speak with me.
It hurts to lose my friend, and I will never forget you. Thank you again so much for all you did to help me. I will never forget any of that.
Paul
I only met Dr. Paine a handful of times when I would go with my husband for some of his appointments. My husband really appreciated Dr. Paine's sincerity. He felt she really understood his struggles with illnesses. She tried her best to help him, and I'm just thankful he felt her support through his troubles. My husband passed away 3 1/2 months ago only one week after his last appointment with her. She was shocked to hear of his passing and when I met with her she was full of compassion. She helped me to understand some things about him and his feelings that he had discussed with her. I just wanted people to know how I feel about the fact that he had someone like Dr. Paine whom he could go to and talk. He really appreciated that and it was comforting to him during his lower times. Thank you Dr. Paine, for genuinely caring about your patients.
God has received an angel in Karen. She helped me through one of the most challenging times in my life. We shared lots of laughter and tears together through life's journey and I will always be grateful to her.
Karen and I were fellow travelers in recovery,and especially, members of the Triangle Caduceus Group. She was an inpiration to so many people, beating impossible odds.She will be missed.
Dr.Paine will always be with me. She made a big difference in my life. She taught me several things during the past few years. Dr.Paine was a great doctor and friend. She had a huge heart. I will miss her dearly.
Thank you all for your wonderful thoughts and memories of Karen. Each comment truly helps make the day a bit brighter.
Karen was the most compassionate doctor that I have ever worked with.She would go out of her way to help anyone that asked or just look like they needed help. Her friendship to me is one that I will always cherish and keep close to my heart. We shared many laughs and tears and even sometimes some words but in the end we were always there for each other. I am glad that I got to share the last trying weeks with her and I know now she is happy to be with her dad and her son. I love her like a sister and will always remember that look she would give me. I told her to welcome me when its my time and she said that she would be right up front. I just hope she will not be to busy taking care of all of the problems up there. I love you, Karen!!!!
I knew Dr. Paine very briefly as I just met her in May when I started my clinical rotation as a student nurse on the Oncology Unit at Rex Hospital. Myself and another nursing student had the opportunity to meet Dr. Paine as a patient on our first day on the unit, and interview her briefly. We were very lucky to have her as our first patient, as she was very patient with us overly eager and inexperienced nursing students, and she made us feel more at ease talking with patients. I remember thinking after meeting Dr. Paine that if all patients are as nice as her, then I'll definitely look forward to being a nurse everyday. Throughout my past two months being a student on the oncology unit I would often inquire about Dr. Paine, and I was saddened to hear about her worsening condition. When she transferred to the hospice unit, I went to visit her the day before her passing, and she was sleeping peacefully. The next day, I walked into hospice around 8:30 am, asked the CNA how she was, and found out she just passed only 45 minutes ago. I was quite shocked and emotional as it was the first patient I have lost as a nursing student. The nurse gave myself and the other students who knew Dr. Paine permission to visit with her for a few minutes to say our goodbyes, and when I went in, we all felt that it seemed like she was very peaceful, and were thankful that she was no longer in any pain or discomfort. My only regret is that I did not have a chance to say goodbye to Dr.Paine while she was living. May she rest in peace.
I never read the obituaries, but Friday I caught Karen's photo out of the corner of my eye. What a beautiful photo of her by the way. But why not she was a wonderful woman. I worked with Dr. Paine many years ago and some memories I have of her are...she would often take me to events with her that she had "free" tickets too, one time we went to a garden lecture and brunch. they gave us free plants. she loved her garden. We would order Chinese together and share. I was working with her when her son passed away and I remember her pain and the memorial for him in the garden. But the thing that I remember most, silly as it is, is that one Christmas she sent me a box of pears. I had never ever received a box of fruit for Christmas or any other time since (it was a rather large box) and to this day I think of her every time I see one of those fruit ordering catalogs. But now that she is gone I'm sure I will think of her whenever I eat a pear, at least for awhile. I am so sad I did not know she was sick, since we had lost touch, I would have loved to have paid tribute to her in person. Hopefully she can hear these words now. Thanks Karen for touching my life in so many ways and for being such a Kind and Fun spirit. You will be missed by many.
When our daughter Becky married Bruce, Karen's brother, in 1986, we had no idea of how important the Nicholson family would be to us. We met Karen and Josh then and marveled at his brightness and her ability to communicate warmth and kindness and her easy way of listening.
We would always say, from Virginia, (where plenty of doctors live!), "Why don't we ask Karen that?" when we just didn't understand something medical going on here. Or we would be in Raleigh and have a cold, or something sore, and Karen would always give these (somewhat of an imposition) questions her full attention and time and she was always, always, helpful.
Karen had a sense of fun and lots of ideas to go along with it. She was one of those people who would actually carry out the ideas too which made being around her such a pleasure. She shared her knowledge and compassion and never seemed hurried, just ready to listen and to join in with a laugh.
Karen probably has no idea how much she will be missed, what a big space there is now in family, medical and other circles. We are glad that Josh and his Mom will be together again and are glad we had the immense pleasure of knowing such a special person.
I think Karen would have amused by the mistake above where "Anonymous" starts our by saying "When our daughter Becky married Bruce, Karen's brother..."
Karen had a real life too.. not just medicine. But we always ended up at a conference or a drug company diner! Family was super nice, my sympathy to the family. Karen's home had such a quaint feeling to it... lots of flowers and gardening. Cats all over the place and strays were welcome. She diagnosed my soap allergy years before anyone else figured it out. A wonderfully proper person, showed concern to everyone and certainly will be missed! David B
Raleigh has lost an incredible physician, and we at First Choice have lost a tremendously loving friend. I am so grateful to have known her. We will miss her laugh...the one you could hear for miles. If we ever did anything "crazy" (like dress up for Halloween or anything) she was the first one to do it. She was always willing to take time to share her wisdom on any problem you had. As I sat with her in the hospital, she would ask about different patients. I thought to myself here she is fighting this disease, thinking about others. THAT WAS KAREN PAINE!
After other doctors blew me off, or gave me canned answers that didn't help, I was relieved to finally meet Dr. Karen Nicholson Paine. She was the first doctor who really listened to me, believed what I was telling her, had compassion for what I was going through, accurately diagnosed my medical condition and gave me solutions which helped to resolve the issues. She really was a lifesaver for me. Dr. Paine was a unique individual with an obvious passion for her work and a genuine caring for other people. I will miss looking to see what funky outfits and shoes she'd be wearing at the clinic. Dr. Paine, I'll never forget you.
Dr. Paine was a thoughtful and lovely lady. She always took time to speak with me and cared about her patients deeply.
I called on her as a sales representative for a pharmaceutical company, and she was always great to talk with.
God bless for a peaceful passage.
I was Dr. Paine's patient for almost a year at First Choice. It was a God moment when I went there for fibromyalgia and realized she was the M.D. on staff. We were already sisters in recovery! I believe Dr. Paine saved my life because she sent me for a sleep study although I had had one a few years earlier. The diagnosis was severe sleep apnea and I've been using my CPAP ever since. I was shocked to learn on 7/12 that she was in hospice because I was getting test results sent to her. I've learned many things about life through her that I'm grateful for. She shared her joy about life and God and gave me hope to live life one day at a time.
Dr. Paine's fun side came through in her attire! Many appts. I would see her wearing turquoise, which could be her favorite color, in some flamboyant style. My favorite was her turquoise colored western boots.
Thank you Dr. Paine!
Dr Paine was our friend and doctor. She was missed when she left the Southern Wake Medical Center. She was compassionate and knowledgeable. Karen always took her time and was very thorough. She made sure that you were taken care of and would not hesitate to refer you to another doctor if you might need it. Karen was interested in what was going on with you and she took the time to listen. Right down to calling you at home and checking in with you. She was a wonderful person, doctor, and friend.
I saw thare were messages left at her obituary in the newspaper and so I am pulling them over here and posting below for you all to see...
My heart goes out to Karen's family. She was such a loving and caring doctor. She helped me through my time of turmoil. She will be missed by all. God bless.
- Joyce Southerland (Fuquay Varina, NC)
Karen,
I so admired you for your strength and grace through terrible adversity. May you find the rest you so deserve.
- Michael Klinkner (Cary, NC)
I held you in very high esteem Karen. You were a strong and talented woman who made the most out of some terrible obstacles. I admired you greatly and will miss you.
- David Long (NC)
I will forever be grateful to Dr. Paine for her care of my medical conditions. She was the only Doctor that listened to me and diagnosed me properly. I will truly miss her and will never forget her. My thoughts and prayers go to her family and nearest friends.
- Cheryl Aldridge (Raleigh, NC)
(I note that Cheryl also posted another comment above too.)
Thanks to you all.
I visited Karen as a patient when she was at Southern Wake. Her knowledge and compassion kept me driving from Raleigh to Fuquay; kept me listening to her earnest words and watching for her fun shoes. After she left Southern Wake I briefly lost track of her and then was delighted to find her at First Choice! I was blessed with that compassion and kindness again. I am so sorry to learn of her passing. What a beautiful woman! I will miss her honesty, her shoes, her hair, her laughter, her crooked smiles, and her stories. God bless!
Dr. Paine is the first physician I ever had that truely took the time to listen. She gave the gift of her time, her expertise, her compassion and her humor. I also consider her a friend, and I am going to miss that about her as well. I found that she didn't "mess around" when treating her patients and in our family, (she treated all of us) her diagnosis was always right. I know that she can never be replaced. Thanks to First Choice for bringing this truely beautiful lady into my life.
Dr. Paine was a good friend and brilliant doctor. I admired her compassion for others in need and her willingness to go to just about any length to help others up and out. I was her patient for seven years, following her from Southern Wake Medical to First Choice. It was delighted, and grateful, to find that we were also sisters in recovery! She walked her talk and was a great inspiration to me. I too will miss her warm crooked smiles, that bright orange hair, her wild fashion sense, but most of all, I will miss her wisdom. My life is richer for knowing you, Dr. Paine!
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