What Nurse's Taught Me

What Nurse's Taught Me

Nurses are great people. They do things most people would not do. They are there for people in the hardest moment of their lives and the best moments. Doctors would find it hard to operate without nurses, probably impossible. In honor of nurse's week I will give you five things I learned from nurses.

The one that has been with me from almost the beginning of our journey with Weston is it is OK to say no to the doctor. I know this sounds simple but before a nurse told us this we never thought to question the doctors. We used this a lot if you do not believe me just ask the crushed residents and fellows Julie and I left in our wake when they wanted to change something we did not approve of (we still became great friends with most of them). Thank you nurse's for helping us find our voices.

It is hard to bend the rules but when you can it is so worth it. Weston's nurses help us push to make Weston's life in the hospital the best it can be. I know of one nurse who had never given a child a bath, granted this was in the CICU so probably not an everyday thing, but this nurse pushed forward and made it happen. Weston was always happy to take a bath. Thank you for looking after Weston's needs.

I learned that even when things do not work out like you hoped it is better to have loved and lost than to never have loved before. I know may nurses where hurt when Weston passed away. I could see it in their eyes. I could see they where hurting just like me. This love for Weston is also present now as we have stayed in touch with some of them and I can still feel the love they have for Weston and our family. How they do this and make it though each day is a testimony to a nurse's loving spirit. Thank you for loving my family.

Nurse's taught me because something looks hard does not mean you can not learn it. When we started the journey with Weston almost nine years ago I did not know much about sick children. I have learned so much since then and most of it thanks to nurses. We would go to rounds and all the doctors would talk and most of the time for me would use words I did not understand. Thanks to some wonderful nurses I learned what these words meant and why they where important to Weston. When Weston received his trach, it was nurses who help me learn what I need to do. Nurses where in the room while we grieved over the loss of Weston, just to get us what we needed or grieve with us. Thank you for all you taught us even when you did not know you where doing it.

The last example is nurses helped save my marriage. How they did this is a wonderful example of nurses going above and beyond. On the days of major surgery it is hard to remember to eat and take the time to take care of yourself. Who is there telling you "you need to go eat" your nurse. Who is there to tell you "it is OK go and try and sleep we will call you if anything changes" your nurse. The nurses would tell us we need to go and be with each other. One nurse told us "we are the most expense childcare you can have" boy was she right. They where also the best. The nurse would always encourage us to use the hospital services so we could talk to someone. Thank you for taking care of my wife.

Nurses are wonderful people they do a job most people could not do. They are your child's best friend and will even help answer some of life's hard questions. They get yelled at by doctors, other nurses, hospital staff, and even parents, do they complain, no they do their job. They are there to help pick you up when you are having a bad day. They can help find new places to eat, lets face it the hospital cafeteria can only be eaten so many times. Nurses to me are the unsung heroes of the medical field they are often forgotten, not by me. Thank you to every nurse who has ever been there for my family and me. Thank you, your support was and is greatly appreciated. So as always Hang on, Hang in, and Don't quit.

AK