Angels
I went home and worked this weekend for the Thanksgiving break, and what a treat that was to be able to don my scrubs and get going again at something I love. Since finals week is coming soon, I have to keep it short today, but I had to share this story, as it changed my perspective.
I was getting report from evening shift as I was coming on to work the grave, and heard a patient's name that sounded familiar. This is pretty common, most of our clients have been to us at least once, and we're honored that they enjoy the experience with us so much that they keep returning when they need that care. Anyway, I asked a couple questions to see if this was actually the patient I was thinking of, and it was, only she had gotten drastically worse since her last time with us, and it isn't looking great for her.
After report I slipped quietly into her room to do her vitals. Vitals at night consist of taking pulse and O2, which can all be done with an oximeter, which can be slipped onto a finger usually without waking the patient. As I snuck in, I saw that she awoke as I came toward the bed, and she was staring at me very strangely, with a focused, slightly confused look on her face. When I introduced myself and welcomed her back, she didn't stop staring at me like that. I finally asked what was wrong, and she responded with something that stopped me dead in my tracks. She simply stared off at a spot off behind my head and quietly said "You are so beautiful...I thought you were an angel coming to get me, and I was SO excited to see you..." and her voice trailed off. I stood there silent for a moment, then responded "Sorry to disappoint hun."
As I continued working with her and then left her room, I sat and thought about that for a while. As caregivers, we are not perfect. We get behind on med pass, miscommunicate with patients, forget things, any number of problems, but if we step back we can realize that the work we do is so heart wrenching but rewarding, and we put so much of ourselves into it, and forget ourselves and our needs so much in the process of caring for others, enough that we can be mistaken for the angels of God. Don't forget that. And I believe God appreciates the work we do, for as we serve His children, we serve Him.
I was getting report from evening shift as I was coming on to work the grave, and heard a patient's name that sounded familiar. This is pretty common, most of our clients have been to us at least once, and we're honored that they enjoy the experience with us so much that they keep returning when they need that care. Anyway, I asked a couple questions to see if this was actually the patient I was thinking of, and it was, only she had gotten drastically worse since her last time with us, and it isn't looking great for her.
After report I slipped quietly into her room to do her vitals. Vitals at night consist of taking pulse and O2, which can all be done with an oximeter, which can be slipped onto a finger usually without waking the patient. As I snuck in, I saw that she awoke as I came toward the bed, and she was staring at me very strangely, with a focused, slightly confused look on her face. When I introduced myself and welcomed her back, she didn't stop staring at me like that. I finally asked what was wrong, and she responded with something that stopped me dead in my tracks. She simply stared off at a spot off behind my head and quietly said "You are so beautiful...I thought you were an angel coming to get me, and I was SO excited to see you..." and her voice trailed off. I stood there silent for a moment, then responded "Sorry to disappoint hun."
As I continued working with her and then left her room, I sat and thought about that for a while. As caregivers, we are not perfect. We get behind on med pass, miscommunicate with patients, forget things, any number of problems, but if we step back we can realize that the work we do is so heart wrenching but rewarding, and we put so much of ourselves into it, and forget ourselves and our needs so much in the process of caring for others, enough that we can be mistaken for the angels of God. Don't forget that. And I believe God appreciates the work we do, for as we serve His children, we serve Him.
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