And Then I Had an Epiphany...

I'm a nurse. 


My job is to take care of others when they are at their lowest. My patients aren't always nice, or kind, or even appreciative but I treat them all the same anyways. It's not uncommon to go a whole day and not hear "thank you" but even then, I treat them with kindness and compassion in lieu of their complaining and their anger. 


Sometimes I feel drained from what I feel is a lack of appreciation but just yesterday I had an epiphany. I woke up Monday morning with a head cold. Nothing major, just a sore throat, runny nose and a headache. But even with minor symptoms, this nurse who is usually the one making others feel better, needed a nurse of her own. 


Enter in Paul, my loving husband. When I'm feeling sick, he does whatever he can to make me feel better. This usually includes bringing home banana Popsicles, getting me medicine even in the middle of the night, lying with me when all I want to do is rest and constantly making me smile when no one else could. And what I realized as Paul walked away to get my chloraseptic from upstairs, is that I'm one lucky girl. 


Do I say "thank you" enough? Do I show my appreciation for him like I should? Do I treat him with kindness when I'm feeling bad? I hope I do. But I'm sure that there are times where my care for myself is greater than my care for others and it made me think, "Am I like those difficult patients who break my spirit?". I should know best how to treat a "nurse" but it can be difficult to lose sight of others when you're focused on yourself. 


It's just a thought and a reminder to myself that if you're lucky enough to have someone who loves you enough to take care of you when you're sick (and essentially when you're at your worst), it's important to make the effort to show them you appreciate them. 


I get it: easy to say, not always easy to do. Which is why I'm a nurse. I will continue to have a loving smile and a caring touch because I understand that they are sick and are concerned about themselves and their health. But at the end of their hospital stay, when they are feeling better and their world is no longer coming to a crashing halt, it feels great to see them smile and finally say, "Thank you."




Love and Happiness,
Bethany