[StevenRN]

Over the past 25 years of my nursing career, this story has touched my heart the most. It is true. The names have been changed to protect identities:

Oh I believe there are angels among us
Sent down to us from somewhere up above
They come to you and me in our darkest hours
To show us how to live
To teach us how to give
To guide us with a light of love
Angels Among Us Don Goodman/Becky Hobbs



William was a three year old boy whose parents and sister was killed in the house fire which brought him to the hospital. The firemen were able to rescue William before he became seriously burned; but for fear of swelling in his airway, he was placed in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit for close observation.

The physicians could not explain why William was not talking or walking. He would not respond to human contact; not even to the traumatic pokes and prodes of needles. When he slept, it was always in a fetal position. This; despite the fact that his neurological tests were all normal. So he was tagged as "developmentally delayed". Speculation was made that perhaps he was abused or neglected at home.

I worked 3PM to 11PM in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit of the large teaching hospital where William had been taken. Melissa, our unit secretary, developed a special liking to William. She would come in to work early and read to little William. Even on her days off from work, Melissa would take the time to visit William. Yet each time, William failed to show any response to Melissa's gestures. Before she would leave him, she would always hug him and say; "I love you. Good night."

Then, one evening Melissa was unable to come in. She called and said she had to get some things taken care of and would I please take a moment to read to William. When things quieted down, I went into William's room and began reading. As I was reading to him, he looked over at me and asked; "Where's Melissa?"

"I'll see if I can find her for you."; I responded in astonishment. I knew Melissa would want to know about William's sudden progress.

Melissa cancelled her plans for the evening and came in to read to William. In fact; she spent the remainder of the evening with him and stayed until he was sound asleep. There was not one single nurse with a dry eye as William cuddled to Melissa and listened to one story after another.

William continued to progress and soon afterward was discharged from the hospital; not to social services, but to the unit secretary who understood that this was a grieving child who needed a little time and lots of love to recover from his trauma.

[pickledpepperRN]

I arrived early one night. A new patieny was yelling and his call light was on. I went into the room to have the patient throw his tray at my cursing, This food is ****" and calling my names.
I found out I was in charge so assigned an excellent former Navy man and EMT to that patient.
The shift began with a loud argument with both patient and nurse cursing. ( I ignored it although he had been asked not to curse and stopped months before).
When I went in to help het the patient back to bed he only gave me a dirty look.
Later when his nurse was on break I answered to call light. Patient asked for his nurse by name.

I truly believe that nurse saved his patients life. The guy agreed to lifesaving surgery he had refused during the day and learned how to care for himself with several chronis conditions.

The patient and his wife have come to visit a couple times. They both give the special nurse the thanks he deserves.

[jnette]

Originally Posted by StevenRN

Over the past 25 years of my nursing career, this story has touched my heart the most. It is true. The names have been changed to protect identities:

Oh I believe there are angels among us
Sent down to us from somewhere up above
They come to you and me in our darkest hours
To show us how to live
To teach us how to give
To guide us with a light of love
Angels Among Us Don Goodman/Becky Hobbs



William was a three year old boy whose parents and sister was killed in the house fire which brought him to the hospital. The firemen were able to rescue William before he became seriously burned; but for fear of swelling in his airway, he was placed in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit for close observation.

The physicians could not explain why William was not talking or walking. He would not respond to human contact; not even to the traumatic pokes and prodes of needles. When he slept, it was always in a fetal position. This; despite the fact that his neurological tests were all normal. So he was tagged as "developmentally delayed". Speculation was made that perhaps he was abused or neglected at home.

I worked 3PM to 11PM in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit of the large teaching hospital where William had been taken. Melissa, our unit secretary, developed a special liking to William. She would come in to work early and read to little William. Even on her days off from work, Melissa would take the time to visit William. Yet each time, William failed to show any response to Melissa's gestures. Before she would leave him, she would always hug him and say; "I love you. Good night."

Then, one evening Melissa was unable to come in. She called and said she had to get some things taken care of and would I please take a moment to read to William. When things quieted down, I went into William's room and began reading. As I was reading to him, he looked over at me and asked; "Where's Melissa?"

"I'll see if I can find her for you."; I responded in astonishment. I knew Melissa would want to know about William's sudden progress.

Melissa cancelled her plans for the evening and came in to read to William. In fact; she spent the remainder of the evening with him and stayed until he was sound asleep. There was not one single nurse with a dry eye as William cuddled to Melissa and listened to one story after another.

William continued to progress and soon afterward was discharged from the hospital; not to social services, but to the unit secretary who understood that this was a grieving child who needed a little time and lots of love to recover from his trauma.

Beautiful.... she truly was his angel. Thanx for the goosebumps.

[nightingale]

Thanks for those lovely stories!

night

[Mandarella]

Thank you for that post, I don't know what to say...

Originally Posted by StevenRN

Over the past 25 years of my nursing career, this story has touched my heart the most. It is true. The names have been changed to protect identities:

Oh I believe there are angels among us
Sent down to us from somewhere up above
They come to you and me in our darkest hours
To show us how to live
To teach us how to give
To guide us with a light of love
Angels Among Us Don Goodman/Becky Hobbs



William was a three year old boy whose parents and sister was killed in the house fire which brought him to the hospital. The firemen were able to rescue William before he became seriously burned; but for fear of swelling in his airway, he was placed in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit for close observation.

The physicians could not explain why William was not talking or walking. He would not respond to human contact; not even to the traumatic pokes and prodes of needles. When he slept, it was always in a fetal position. This; despite the fact that his neurological tests were all normal. So he was tagged as "developmentally delayed". Speculation was made that perhaps he was abused or neglected at home.

I worked 3PM to 11PM in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit of the large teaching hospital where William had been taken. Melissa, our unit secretary, developed a special liking to William. She would come in to work early and read to little William. Even on her days off from work, Melissa would take the time to visit William. Yet each time, William failed to show any response to Melissa's gestures. Before she would leave him, she would always hug him and say; "I love you. Good night."

Then, one evening Melissa was unable to come in. She called and said she had to get some things taken care of and would I please take a moment to read to William. When things quieted down, I went into William's room and began reading. As I was reading to him, he looked over at me and asked; "Where's Melissa?"

"I'll see if I can find her for you."; I responded in astonishment. I knew Melissa would want to know about William's sudden progress.

Melissa cancelled her plans for the evening and came in to read to William. In fact; she spent the remainder of the evening with him and stayed until he was sound asleep. There was not one single nurse with a dry eye as William cuddled to Melissa and listened to one story after another.

William continued to progress and soon afterward was discharged from the hospital; not to social services, but to the unit secretary who understood that this was a grieving child who needed a little time and lots of love to recover from his trauma.

[Mandarella]

StevenRN,

What ever happened with this poor little boy. I do think of this story often.
Mandy

Originally Posted by StevenRN

Over the past 25 years of my nursing career, this story has touched my heart the most. It is true. The names have been changed to protect identities:

Oh I believe there are angels among us
Sent down to us from somewhere up above
They come to you and me in our darkest hours
To show us how to live
To teach us how to give
To guide us with a light of love
Angels Among Us Don Goodman/Becky Hobbs



William was a three year old boy whose parents and sister was killed in the house fire which brought him to the hospital. The firemen were able to rescue William before he became seriously burned; but for fear of swelling in his airway, he was placed in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit for close observation.

The physicians could not explain why William was not talking or walking. He would not respond to human contact; not even to the traumatic pokes and prodes of needles. When he slept, it was always in a fetal position. This; despite the fact that his neurological tests were all normal. So he was tagged as "developmentally delayed". Speculation was made that perhaps he was abused or neglected at home.

I worked 3PM to 11PM in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit of the large teaching hospital where William had been taken. Melissa, our unit secretary, developed a special liking to William. She would come in to work early and read to little William. Even on her days off from work, Melissa would take the time to visit William. Yet each time, William failed to show any response to Melissa's gestures. Before she would leave him, she would always hug him and say; "I love you. Good night."

Then, one evening Melissa was unable to come in. She called and said she had to get some things taken care of and would I please take a moment to read to William. When things quieted down, I went into William's room and began reading. As I was reading to him, he looked over at me and asked; "Where's Melissa?"

"I'll see if I can find her for you."; I responded in astonishment. I knew Melissa would want to know about William's sudden progress.

Melissa cancelled her plans for the evening and came in to read to William. In fact; she spent the remainder of the evening with him and stayed until he was sound asleep. There was not one single nurse with a dry eye as William cuddled to Melissa and listened to one story after another.

William continued to progress and soon afterward was discharged from the hospital; not to social services, but to the unit secretary who understood that this was a grieving child who needed a little time and lots of love to recover from his trauma.

[twinmommy+1]

Oh my goodness, no shortage of teary eyes here

[Cay]

Originally Posted by twinmommy+1

Oh my goodness, no shortage of teary eyes here

How beautiful and touching. Thanks for sharing your stories!
Cay

[stidget99]

Thanks for the warm fuzzies! Time to get my Chicken Soup for the Nurse's Soul out once again---same type of stories, some make you chuckle and others make you cry. Sometimes we need a reminder of why we went into this profession.

[barefootlady]

Thanks for the story. It is is wonderful reminder of just how much patience, understanding, and kindness count is our busy world.