Thank You for Nothing - Page 3

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  1. Guide
    Nov 5, '11 by
    My dd#2 and sil have a blended family that includes two boys in wheelchairs--a 19 yo (his) with cerebral palsy and a 15 yo (hers) with spina bifida. DD has saved the life of the younger boy a number of times by insisting on speaking to a hospitalist or an attending when the ED resident doesn't "get" that this boy doesn't show a lot of typical s/s when he's in trouble. So far, so good, but he's come closer to the brink than he should have. (The senior residents--neurology, neurosurgery, pulmonolary, ortho, GI and renal usually give her their cell numbers and allow her to email pictures of surgical incisions or other things because they trust her judgment. She has never been wrong about the need for a shunt revision--and he's had a bunch--or an infected site.)

    My daughter and her husband are fierce advocates for their boys, and yet they both know that there may come a time when they have to let go. We cry even talking about it, but we understand that someday (far down the road, God willing) it could come to that point.

    I'm so thankful for nurses (and docs) who can see that help takes many forms and sometimes the help to let go is the best we have to offer.

    Thank you, Ashley, for a heartfelt article with so much wisdom.
    Last edit by rn/writer on Nov 6, '11
    Spidey's mom, donsterRN, janfrn, and 9 others like this.
  2. Nov 5, '11 by
    That was a truly beautiful article...thank you so much for sharing.
    CrazierThanYou and Ashley, PICU RN like this.
  3. Guide
    Nov 6, '11 by
    Very well written Ashley! Thank you for describing such a beautiful story.

    At the risk of sounding like e.e. cummings, sometimes nothing is everything.
    cyntrim, janfrn, and DizzyLizzyNurse like this.
  4. Nov 6, '11 by
    Human touch is very much "something"...it may not cure, but it shows the parent/patient that we care...
  5. Nov 9, '11 by
    "It was the hardest nothing she would ever do."
    Simply amazing! So profound and touching. A wonderful read.
    Thanks
    ScrubRNwannabe likes this.
  6. Nov 9, '11 by
    beautifully written, directly from the heart!
  7. Nov 9, '11 by
    As a student Nurse, and a volunteer in a PICU, AND a Mother, I can only imagine how hard that nothing (which was actually everything) was. That was a beautiful story. Thanks for sharing.
    Bortaz, RN and janfrn like this.
  8. Nov 10, '11 by
    that really was beautiful...
  9. Nov 10, '11 by
    As a geriatric nurse I have to say thank you so much for writing such a beautiful article and giving me the chance to experience your world. You do amazing work and you bring such an amazing spirit to the job.
  10. Nov 10, '11 by
    Beautiful story. These types of situations have been on my mind lately. We have a local baby who has been near the brink of death for months now. All these procedures that are done to him day after day... I just wonder sometimes if its the right thing to do...