A letter to my Patient

[gentlegiver]

Dear Patient;

Tonight I looked in on you, you looked so sad & lost in that bed with your nasal canula resting on your cheek. As I carefully readjust the canula, you wake, look up at me and say thank you for taking such good care of me. Do you know what that did to me? You will never realize how your simple words made me want to cry. I want so badly to make your pain and struggles go away. I feel so helpless; I can only do so much for you. I'm afraid it's not enough. I can give you medicine to ease your pain, oxygen to help you breath, reposition you to relieve sore muscles, clean you when you have an "accident", feed you when you're hungry, hold a glass for you when you're thirsty. I assure you it is an honor to care for you; you don't need to thank me. I rearrange your pillow, tuck your blankets around you, then I quietly walk out of the room. You don't know it, but, I stand in the doorway, watching over you as you fall back to sleep. It is all I can do, I wish it was more, but, I will watch over you and be by your side each night on this lonely walk. I am always there, looking in on you as you sleep. Have sweet dreams my patient.

Your Night Nurse

[Katie5]

No patient has ever thanked me for waking him/her up to replace a nasal cannula. Your post puts me in mind of what I thought nursing would be like before I became a nurse--grateful patients who know I'm doing my best for them with a song and good wishes in my heart for the dear helpless souls in my care. Bwahahaha. Actually, I think I like my reality better; I always had a hard time keeping the halo from falling off.

That's where you got it wrong- patients don't have to be grateful. Polite and courteous yes, but grateful? Not necessarily. You're being paid to do a job a certain way and it needs be done that way. It brings more of complex when people begin to see it as, "You should feel grateful I am taking care of you." Truly no.

[gentlegiver, ASN, LPN, RN]

To all of you, I work LTC/Rehab. My patient is a very sweet man who is dieing of CA. His lungs along with the rest of his body are full of it. It takes alot for him to come up with the breath to speak. That is why I think he hit me so hard, I have had many Rehab patients thank me for thier care. But that he fought for the breath to do it means more to me than a thousand from those heading home. And if you could have seen the look in his eyes ....

[Tina, RN]

gentlegiver, thank you for sharing your story. Such a nice, refreshing thing to read! :)

My own little story that turned me to mush: A couple days ago, my 4 year old was running through the sprinkler at a party, and managed to cut the bottom of her foot. What a crummy spot for a cut... *sigh* So anyway, I've been keeping an eye on it, cleaning it, and putting a little dressing on for her. Last night after I finished, she said, "Thanks, Mommy! You're the best nurse ever!" It was so sweet and innocent, I almost cried. :)

[gentlegiver, ASN, LPN, RN]

gentlegiver, thank you for sharing your story. Such a nice, refreshing thing to read! :)

My own little story that turned me to mush: A couple days ago, my 4 year old was running through the sprinkler at a party, and managed to cut the bottom of her foot. What a crummy spot for a cut... *sigh* So anyway, I've been keeping an eye on it, cleaning it, and putting a little dressing on for her. Last night after I finished, she said, "Thanks, Mommy! You're the best nurse ever!" It was so sweet and innocent, I almost cried. :)

AWWWW!! Babies are so sweet! I got that tingly Mommy feeling when I read that. My babies are all grown up with kids of thier own & live out of state. I really do miss that whole Mommy thing!:redbeathe