I recently saw a powerful video about an amazing nurse who
is a foster mother to children dying of cancer. She lovingly cared for them no
matter the circumstance, the difficulties, or the heartbreak that came with
each and every death of one of these precious children. It broke my heart to
see and hear. It caused me to reflect on how fortunate we are within Cone
Health to have people with hearts much like hers, physicians and nurses alike. It
was a special reminder of what a unique and privileged opportunity we have to
care for those in the last days or weeks of their life. This time can be
heart-breaking but it can be soul healing as well.
When asked how she could continue to love and care for these
children, all of whom die, she said one of the most moving things I have ever
heard:
“We invest deeply and we ache terribly when these kids die,
but our hearts are like stained-glass windows. These windows are made of broken
glass which has been forged back together, and those windows are even stronger
and more beautiful for having been broken.”
Hearts like “stained-glass windows”, made of broken glass,
forged back together, only to be even stronger and more beautiful for having
been broken! Does this not speak to the essence of why we do what we do but
also the price we pay as nurses and physicians, as human beings, for being
willing to do so? Nurses understand this because they are the ones who spend
the most time caring for our patients, ministering to their every need no
matter how difficult it may be. Physicians understand because they have the
ultimate responsibility for every patient and bear the burden that goes with
that responsibility.
To all the physicians, advanced practice providers, and nurses,
I say thank you. Thank you for having hearts that with time have become more
and more like “stained - glass windows”, broken all too often only to be forged
back together, stronger and more beautiful than ever. You are the “heart” of
medicine. You selflessly and tirelessly care for those who are sick and
suffering and afraid and alone and frightened. In their time of greatest need,
you are their hope-giver. But when all else fails, you do the only thing left
to do, you give of yourself but at the cost of this “stained-glass window”. It
is a heavy price to pay but you are stronger and more beautiful for having done
so. Thank you for the many sacrifices you make every day. Thank you for the
difference you make in every patient.
Andy Lamb, MD
No comments:
Post a Comment