Rare Privilege

[Drake]

I don't usually post stuff like this, but today, I feel like I need to share it.

I forgot my parking permit in my wife's car this weekend, so on my way to work this morning, I had to stop by the rehab facility/nursing home where she works to pick it up.

Of course, when I arrived, the car was locked, so I wandered inside looking for her to get the key. As it turned out, I ended up four steps behind her as she went into a patient's room to answer a call light for an elderly woman in respiratory distress. (From the conversation, it's apparent that the women is suffering from one of the later stages of COPD, but that's not relevant to this story...or maybe it is.)

Anyway, so I stood in the hallway for about fifteen minutes, no one knowing I was present (except all of the facility employees, nurses and CNA's who wandered past me and smiled...all without asking who I was or what I was doing, but that that is *definitely* another story.)

For fifteen wonderful minutes, I got to listen to my wife do her job as an RN. The woman she was comforting is dying. There's no doubt about that. She's scared. She can't breathe, and knows that at some point in the near future, there won't be any help for her.

My wife was so kind, so gentle and comforting. She was so *present* with this woman, soothing her, explaining every little thing she was doing, asking her questions, making her laugh.

I'm going to get old and die one day. We all are. We know that. All I can say is that when I go, I want a nurse just like my wife there with me, acknowledging me, *seeing me* as something more than a patient, as a whole person worthy of comfort and care, someone who feels like they're fighting for me, even though the outcome of the battle has long-since been decided.

If you have a nurse in your life, hug them today and tell them how wonderful and awesome the work that they do is. It truly is a profession full of wonderful people who daily perform acts of strength and courage of heart that most of us can't imagine.

(Apparently, last week was Nurse Appreciation week, so I guess this can be considered belatedly relevant.)

[FrogMan]

sweet story, thanks for sharing.

FM

[CleBrownsfan]

It takes a very special person to care for the dying. Be proud your wife is one of them.

We had hospice come to my parent's house when my grandma was passing - I swear the nurse was an angel.

Like FM said- thanks for sharing

[Honolulu_Blue]

Drake, great story. I had a very similar experience over a year ago with my sister. My sister is three years older than me and decided a few years ago to switch careers mid-stream and become a nurse.

She's a nurse at local children's hospital and has been so for the last 3-4 years now. I have never seen her in action until last Febraury when my 99 year old grandmother fell ill.

My grandmother was very sick and very old and the end was near. My whole family was in the room with her and just sort of stunned, nervous, sad what have you. The moment my sister walked into the room everything changed. She brought such a calm, loving energy into the place. It was remarkable. Just to watch the way she talked to my grandmother and comforted her, it changed the entire mood of the place. I had never been more proud of my sister than at that moment. I saw that she really had chosen the right profression and was damn good at it. Really amazing to witness.

[tyketime]

That's an awesome story! As was said above, it's an incredible person that willingly works in that field. And to treat each individual as she obviously does is phenomenal!

[terpkristin]

That's an awesome story. As others have also said, I've seen the amazing powers that hospice nurses in particular can share, not just with the patient but also with the family. On a more personal side of things, I've seen more than my fair share of nurses and cannot express how much easier they've made things on my assorted surgeries and hospital stays. Big ups to your wife, and other nurses out there.

/tk

[Autumn]

Amen. Just a week and a half ago I was sitting with my grandfather over a period of 20 hours as he died. The nursing staff was wonderful, but mostly I got to watch my sister, who once did end-of-life care, in action. There's something special about people who can do that work. My sister had to stop doing it because it burned her out - she cared too much and brought it home with her. But thank God there's people like her out there.

[Dodgerchick]

Awww, what awesome stories you guys are sharing. Nurses are indeed angels, bless them.

[MizzouRah]

Both of my sister in laws are nurses and I envy the work that they do each and every day.

Great story...