A Death being a Blessing

My Mom always said my dad's death was the catalyst that sent me into nursing. I did not understand the disease Dad had. The nurses at the hospital tried to explain it to us. They gave us information to read. I looked up things on the Internet and at the library. What I found stated that the type cancer dad had was generally one that elderly black men had. I couldn't understand why my dad at 59 had this. I told Mom at his bedside that I was going to change my major to nursing. We had always had a nurse in the family (my grandmother's baby sister, and Mom's sister) both deceased. The only other nurse was Betty (mentioned previously). She and my brother were divorced. I felt, with Mom getting older and the children in the family, that there needed to be a medical person in the family.

I changed my major to nursing and spent 3 more years in college. The total amount of time spent in college, I could have been a doctor. Actually once, mom asked me why I didn't get my doctorate and have a higher degree than Greg and join the armed forces and outrank Alan. It was tempting to outrank Alan so he would have to salute me. I have never been one to obey strict rules, so I didn't think I would make it in the service (besides, I had tw0 teens at home).

Mom wrote a poem and gave it to me the day I graduated from college with my BSN. I would like to share it:

The day did finally arrive,
And, believe it or not,
You're still alive!
We're all here to share with you
A goal accomplished, a dream come true.

You've scaled a high mountain
Avoiding a fall,
Though at times you wondered
"Is it really worth it all?"

Hours of study were oh! so long;
Stress enough to break the strong.
But you, my daughter, had the will to succeed,
And today is proof indeed.

Ironically, Dad's illness was your inspiration,
And today we all shared in your graduation.
With pride and joy and even a few tears,
We wish you success through the coming years.

May God bless you every step of the way,
As you bring to your patients a brighter day,
A smile, a hug, an understanding ear.
AN ANGEL OF MERCY - that's you, my dear.

Love and congratulations, Mom


I don't know if I have brought my patients a brighter day but I have been rewarded by my patients. I had a man and his wife stop me in the hall a few weeks back. He said, "You were my nurse when I was in the emergency room and it was you who saved my life." I didn't remember him at first (imagine the numbers of people that come through the ER and try to remember them all). As they were talking I did remember him. He was having chest pain and as I was preparing some medicine to give him, he went chalky-grey and drenching wet, and his blood pressure bottomed out. I yelled for the doctor to get in the room immediately (actually my words were "NOW"). I flipped him into trendelenburg (head down and feet up - helps with the blood pressure), turned his fluids up. He was having an acute MI (heart attack). We got him stabilized and out the door to a facility with a cath lab.

This past Sunday, a man came up to me in church and hugged me thanking me. I asked what for. He said for being there for him and his family when his mother-in-law was brought into the ER. I told him he was welcome - just doing my job. He said, "No you do more than your job." These affirmations and the help Mom says I was to her make the long hours at work and the grueling hours in college all worthwhile. I feel and have always felt to be a nurse had to be a calling from God and I for one, am so glad He called me, even if it was Dad's death that initiated the need in my heart to become a nurse. There are times when we nurses feel totally unappreciated and at times abused. So it is a great feeling when some appreciation comes our way. But, even if it never came, I would still choose to be a nurse!