By Debbie Moore-Black, RN

She was new to this ICU. She was young, smart, funny, and considered one of the “cool” nurses.

Before we could really get to know her, she exposed her wonderful, fantastic, perfect life all over social media.

Their perfect two-story brick house, their two little, perfect angel daughters — the perfect life in the perfect town.

But what was most important was her perfect, handsome husband. He was bound to be a self-employed millionaire … you wait and see … Greg was now a real estate contractor. And he had the connections to build those semi-mansions that everyone craved.

Every night Crystal came into work, and she was all smiles, high energy. Although we all felt like underdogs to this nurse with her stellar life, we were happy for her.

But the facade started to slip through the cracks. Crystal would clock in late but have to leave early. Her phone calls while at work to her husband were pleading: “Please get out of bed and get the girls breakfast and ready for school.”

Greg was tired. Frequently tired. He really didn’t want to work at all. He knew his wife was a dedicated, hard worker. She easily put in 60 hours a week in the ICU.

Then the school system called. The girls weren’t showing up for school. A conference was called. And suddenly, one of the highest-ranking elementary schools in the district became the “worst” school. Crystal and Greg decided they would take their girls out of school and homeschool them. Greg would be their teacher while Crystal worked.

We found out that Crystal jumped from one job to the next. It seemed that when her fellow nurses caught on to her truth, Crystal would start a new job.

Crystal would come home from work after a night shift and find her girls still in bed sleeping. No breakfast, no grooming, no homeschooling.

One night she came into work. She was disheveled. She had difficulty focusing. And she had bruises all up and down her arms.

A nurse talked to management about possible domestic abuse. And management called Crystal in to offer her EAP (Employee Assistance Program). She could receive free therapy sessions from licensed therapists at her hospital — total confidentiality.

Crystal said nothing was wrong. Everything was fine. Her awesome husband had stopped “working,” the bills weren’t being paid, and Crystal had more and more excuses for why she had to call out sick.

But Greg was wonderful. He had connections. And this time they were going to pick up and move to sunny California. Lots of semi-mansions.

He’s going to be a millionaire one day.

And in a flash, they moved across the country.

Crystal “unfriended” and “blocked” many of her friends on social media that knew the truth.

They lost their house in foreclosure.

And some of us never heard from her again.

If you know the truth and you’re tired of the isolation, the demands, the aggression, the denial.

Stop lying to yourself — for your sake and for your children’s sake.

Reach out before it’s too late.