10.13.06
Nurse Jim & Doctor M
When I was in the hospital in ICU two weeks ago with the severe altitude sickness, on the second day I also suffered from a totally unexpected case of "Montezuma’s revenge," as it’s known. My stomach and intestines were immensely messed up.
I was bedfast, hooked up to tubes and wires galore, which is bad enough in and of itself, but under those circumstances, pretty awful. As in terribly so to the point that I was completely and totally humiliated by my plight. It was disgusting to be blunt. I had to hold back hot stinging tears.
I needed help and a lot of it. And my nurse that day was a young man - Jim.
I do not know what I would have done in his shoes. I’m not sure I’m as strong or kind a person as he showed himself to be. Even more, he was compassionate and loving without one word or grimace to the contrary.
I tried to make light of it as best I could, figuring crying wouldn’t help me or him, but might make things even worse. He must have thought so, too, because he said, "You know? You make this much easier because you’re laughing about it all . . . when a lot of people would be crying."
I told him, "I certainly feel like crying and nearly did so while ago, but stopped myself." He smiled and said he liked that about me.
A short while afterward, the cardiologist, Doctor M, arrived not knowing I was now enscounced on a bedpan. Jim had gone to see about getting some things from the bed to the laundry. He’d freshly make the bed and put clean pads down. All things we don’t normally think of men doing very well, but he did them quite well and in seemingly good humor, no matter what he may have really thought.
The doctor began questioning me about my medical history and I did not have the chance to tell her my plight. When she found out, she began helping me to get cleaned up once again and Jim rushed in to help, too. A second time. With wet, warm, soft wipes that soothed the chafed skin.It felt heavenly. And was . . .
34"Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
37"Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40"The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’
Indeed. Nurse Jim & Doctor M were grace notes in my life that day and I’ll never forget either one of them. Neither will our Lord.
P. S. See Finding Direction: The Wind Vane Chronicles for companion story.
Donna said,
October 13, 2006 at 12:26 pm
as I told my daughter-in-law who is in nursing school, I am glad there are people willing and able to do such jobs….what a blessing when they do it in a grace filled way!TCS said,
October 13, 2006 at 1:01 pm
great post Dee. By the way your link on your blog goes to the old Grace notes.