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Discussion

awww.....how NEAT !!!

Just gotta share.

After so often having to deal with sad news, the hardships of losing a patient, etc., there are also the unexpected joyous moments.

One of our younger patients (40 yrs.) yesterday informed us he was getting MARRIED .... tomorrow !!! :D

We were just soooooooo pleased for him ! This is one fella who was just SO hateful and noncompliant when he started on dialysis some six years ago. He was really struggling with accepting the fact that this was something he would have to do the rest of his life... difficult for ANY one, even more so when yet so relatively young. :o

The first few years he would miss txs. for weeks at a time, until he came back so edematous he was barely recognizable. He would insist on being taken off the machine early at a whim, and threaten to use his pocketknife to cut his own bloodlines if we didn't unhook him when he wanted off. He was having serious issues with this new lifestyle. He would go on drinking binges, and just totally rebel.

Yet through it all, his goodness was evident, his tender heart, ..... and his frustration.

Over the years, he mellowed more and more. He came to trust us. He accepted his fate. He became one of the sweetest, funniest, most compliant and enjoyable patients we have... he considers us family and treats us a such.

No more drunks, no more ugliness. Follows our elderly patients home in the snow or if they are feeling "puny", to make sure they get home allright. Picks up patients if they are having car trouble.

He had a girlfriend the first year or two, but she gave up on him as she could no longer deal with his rebellion nor his selfdestruction and noncompliace with tx. The past two years he has had a new girlfriend... and it is she he will be going to the alter with. mar.gif

He announced this sheepishly yesterday to us and his fellow patients on the floor.

We all responded with an initial "awwwwwwwwwwwwwww..." and then a big 'WHOOOOOOOOOOT !!!" and ran over to hug him and wish him well.

We fussed at him for not giving us more advanced notice, but he said he kept it quiet as he knew us well enough to know that we would pull all kinds of "tricks" and shower him with gag gifts if we knew ahead of time. So true.

That will still be the case however ... :chuckle

Anyway... just thought I'd share a bit of good news.

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Jnette..That is a great story. Sounds like he has really developed a relationship with you all. Maybe alls he needed was to know that someone cares about him and week after week you were all there!! Nursing is as much about the technical as the heart, isn't it?

"maybe alls he needed was to know that someone cares about him and week after week you were all there!!"

i was thinking the same thing. congratulations to your patient, jnette.

Wonderful! And that is really what nursing is all about, isn't it? Things like this are what we should share with those who ask us the positive aspects of nursing. What a great story....Thankyou for sharing. Made my day...What an amazing group of nurses you all must be for doing so much toward bringing this man full circle from sadness to happiness...Kudos!

  • Author
Originally posted by Erin RN

Jnette..That is a great story. Sounds like he has really developed a relationship with you all. Maybe alls he needed was to know that someone cares about him and week after week you were all there!! Nursing is as much about the technical as the heart, isn't it?

It cetainly is, Erin.

That is one of the reasons I like dialysis so much... IF it's a small clinic. You have the opportunity and privelege of really being able to GIVE of yourself... and to receive, as well.

Our patients have all been coming in laden with Christmas goodies this past week... yesterday one pt's husband brought us a HUGE platter of luncheon meats, cheeses, potatoe salad, etc. with a big bow on top and a card telling us how much they appreiciated all our hard work and efforts... then added "and to know that you really CARE". :)

We do a big Chritmas spread for our patients every year as well. No matter how stressed we are Christmas week, we always each cook/fix/bake something and bring it in, and set up the NM's office with all the goodies for them to feast after tx before they leave. Each patient also receives a gift.

It's pretty heartwarming, to say the least.

That is so wonderful to hear. Thank you for sharing Jnette.

There is always a silver lining around or is it behind every cloud, Oh well, that was great to hear.

:clown:

What a turnaround for this man...no doubt thru hard work on yours and his parts.I am truly happy to read this story. It really IS a Christmas spirit-lifter if ever there was one. WAY TO JNETTE...this is very,very cool!

  • Author

Thanx guys, for sharing our joy.

What's really amazing about this story is that his own father (from whom he had estranged himself for YEARS) was also a patient of ours when he first started coming to dialysis. He despised the "old man", as he would call him, and always made sure he sat as far away from him in the room as possible. His dad had poycystic kidney disease, and he, the son, had had a strept infection as a toddler, which eventually led to his own kidney failure. As the months and years rolled by, it was comical to watch these two.

The "old man" was from waaaaaaaaaay back in the "hollers", he lived only for his roosters which he bred for rooster fights. He, too, was always anxious to get off early to feed his chickens, and would miss txs if there was a local rooster fight to attend... ...always wore a little cap with a prize rooster on the bill.

This little man was sooooo funny, in his own ornery way, and we all came to love him dearly. He would get so antsy near the end of tx., and would shuffle, nearly RUN out the door, try to sneak out before being weighed post tx., just so he could "get out of here". He was the kind of little fella (he was quite old, really) that you just couldn't help but love, no matter how grungy or grumpy he was.

Gradually, father and son warmed up to each other, and if the dad didn't show up for tx., the son would inquire about him. Things began to change.

Two years ago, the "old man" passed away. We still miss his grumpiness and comical ways. We all attended his funeral and the son was there as well.

I believe this is when he began to change. He saw how much we cared about our patients, himself included, and I really believe this made the difference to him. It was a turning point for him.

He now fondly refers to "the old man" with a little snicker and smile.

What a beautiful, touching story. Thank you for sharing it. It makes me want to be done with school and actually living it so much more.:)

Awwwwwwwww....so beautiful for that man and his bride to be! Thanks for sharing that wonderful story jnette. Congrats to the bridegroom and his bride to be. :kiss

Thanks for sharing jnette.

What a touching story, thanks for sharing!:)

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