Treating Angels Instead

rissajacintorn, BSN, RN

My story started at the parking lot of one fast-food chain...

One hot day, my friend and I went to the town to look for an opportunity that may give us chance to work as Nurse outside the country.

The dilemma that every nurse faced... working so hard for a very minimum wage, has caught us by the neck.

Life has been so tough.

In this fast-paced world that we dwell, one can not survive if one's spirit is faint. Because without a doubt all strength will be sucked up, living the person drained and drenched with nothing else to give.

That afternoon my friend and I decided to park our car to the parking lot and stay inside to eat whatever we can find. Usually, we have a bag of candies, water, and biscuits. We can take almost anything that can relieve our hunger even for a couple of minutes.

We reserved our money for gasoline. So instead of dining inside the restaurant, we are content to stay inside the car and eat our candies.

I guess we just do not have a choice.

Grumbling sound from our stomach has become music to our ears. The funny sounds it gave had made us laugh. Other people can never believe that we are having a scarcity of food. We may be lacking from food and money but we can handle it, we can still manage to smile and laugh. I guess that is the gift that we have... we can find beauty at everything and any situations.

So while we are busy maximizing our free time, we suddenly heard a loud knock from outside my car window. Standing outside my car is a man who cuddles his son, and on his side is a lady (that I learned was his wife).

The middle-aged man, who looked so pale, hungry (like we were that moment) and tired. He gave me that certain look...one that I can never forget. It is the kind of look that tells me... "Please trust me for what I am having is real. Please believe me, I am not telling lies." The sincerity that runs deep in his soul has made its way to my sensitive heart.

I opened my window and looked at the man outside.

But having been raised in the city...where street killing and crimes are part of everyday chores, I know how to protect myself. I opened my window just enough for me to hear the person's word clearly well.

The man started to speak... "Please I beg you, he started. With shimmering lips and wavering voice, his words came slowly one by one... I am not a bad person; it is not easy to come before you broken as I am now. We came to my office just near the corner; unfortunately, my boss is not around. We are trying to beat the time because my son is diagnosed to have a dengue hemorrhagic fever and he needs blood, any moment he can be taken away from us should we come back without any blood".

At that moment, his words became too difficult for me to understand, that made me opened my window more and more... as if I opened my heart and my complete understanding to this person.

"I never ask a favor to anyone, he said again, but now I beg you to please give your favor on me". At that moment, tears have swallowed all his words and all I could hear was his sobbing sound that has taken my heart out of its cage and broke it into pieces. As the man showed me that he only needs some additional money to buy a bag of blood for his son.

The man has no idea that he was actually talking to a nurse who is so familiar with all the dangers and complications of dengue. And the expenses that each patient faced just to be sure that their loved ones are out of danger.

Without a doubt, this man needs to help my friend told me as she herself sobs at another side of the car.

My friend gave her last 100 peso bill while wiping her tears to clear her eyes, I held out my wallet to know if I still have money to share... I only have 200 pesos at that time and another 40 dirhams. I took my friends money and decided to give my 40 dirhams. I told the man to take it...

I held the man's hand and it felt so cold despite the heat of the sun. He took my hand and said, "I can not pay you back, but surely the Lord will". I said, "thank you and hurry now do what you must".

Then I wipe my tears with my handkerchief to clear my eyes, but to my surprise, before I even held my head up... the man I was talking to was gone. My friend and I looked at every corner and streets but they are nowhere be found.

Amazed at how fast they come and the fastest they go. How can they possibly disappear that fast since the road was busy at that time, no taxicab neither there is an easy way to cross the street. How come the man along with his wife and child came so easily and disappeared in a glance. Just to make sure, we asked the guard and all the bystanders and even the drivers at the parking lot if by any chance they saw a man with a baby and his wife. To our surprise, they did not see anyone. My friend even asked the bystander if they felt the refreshing cold wind that blew just a couple of minutes ago. But they all laugh at my friend and said, the heat has certainly got the hold of your sanity that you thought the wind has been blowing. And while they are all laughing, my friend and I decided to get inside the car again and laugh at ourselves too. Then we learned that we have just treated an angel instead.

This experience gave me a natural boost in confidence and dedication to my profession as a nurse.

That is why when I reported on duty the following morning. Everyone noticed that certain uniqueness in my move, the glow in the face and the energy that never seems to run out.

That day as I was doing my morning care, I visited the patient in the female medical ward. She was old and wrinkled, but her eyes and her lips greeted me with the sweetest smile that left engraved in my heart. She stretched her hand as if she saw her own daughter telling me to move closer to her side. I greeted her and held her hand. How are you this morning my sweetness? I said. Her weak body moved slightly turning on her side to face me.

The female patient has been at the hospital for 1 week. Admitted due to shortness of breath and edema, that later learned that she has an end-stage renal failure. The patient needs to undergo dialysis treatment.

My sweetness, I said, can I get your consent and signature today, for you to have that dialysis treatment. You need that treatment to help you recover.

But that is the main reason that my patient wants to talk to me, I am just waiting for you to see you for the last time. I think I might not need any treatment, because I can feel I am ready to go now and I want to express my thanks to your goodness, your caring gave me energy and comfort. But your good heart has made me feel that I am ready to face anything. As the words came out from her mouth, tears flow from my eyes. I simply said, my sweetness, I am sure that God is more pleased to welcome you back and I am so honored to have served you. Tell Him I love Him when you go and have tete with Him. But for now, while you are here with me still you need to take your medicines.

Then I rushed out of the room and went straight to the nurse's quarters to cry under my pillow. I needed that to help me release whatever it is I am feeling at that moment.

As I freshen myself up again. The staff asked for help and shouted code red. In my heart I know, that's my patient, my sweetness packed her bag and left to meet the Creator. So I went out and saw that I was right.

I told the other nurse on duty that I can handle it. So I gave my patient the last care that she needs, her post-mortem care. My gloved hands can still feel her, her eyes now closed but her smile remained. I said goodbye to my sweetness, I know you are happy now, I whispered.

I went back to the station and noted everything at the patient's chart.

My life as a nurse... I said to myself. Tiring as it is, but I will never trade it for anything. My training and expertise have helped me enter any institution that I want. My skills can merit me recognition but the comfort and genuine care can be felt by the patients, they are the best judge. Our heart is exposed through our touch because it is in our touch that made each of them feel whatever is inside of us.

My encounter with that man and the lady patient left me with an assurance, that no matter how difficult the situation is, there is always hope. God can work in different ways just to help us and assure us that we are never alone, he can send a friend. He can speak through our boss or He can simply send His angels down.

So the next time we see anyone in need is careful how to treat them because we might be treating angels instead.

One must be very careful about judging other people because being beautiful is good... but it is by being good that one can be most beautiful.

End/// rissajacinto 16 July 2009

Treating Angels Instead

About rissajacintorn, BSN, RN

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