Thankful Thursday..... a very special patient

I have had the blessing of being an RN for the last twelve years. I have predominately specialized in neonatal intensive care (NICU), working with premature babies, along with working in women's health as well. In my nursing career there have been many families that have stood out to me ~ families I'll always remember ~ those that are near and dear to my heart. As I'm currently in school working on my family nurse practitioner degree, I've started teaching med surg nursing clinicals at a local college two days a week as this leaves me more time to study ~ once the students are ready for their women's health portion, I'll then start teaching in that area and stay in that department ~ definitely my comfort zone:)

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Over the past three weeks several of my students have taken care of an amazing couple ~ we'll call them Fred and Thelma. This couple has been married for 62 years. They have four children ~ one, a son, is currently on life support at a local hospital. A daughter, who was having a bone scan today as she is a breast cancer survivor yet they are concerned in regard to some recent cysts that have appeared. Two grandchildren were just born with tumors in their eyes and are currently undergoing treatment in hopes of beating the disease and the list goes on.
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Over the past few weeks I've watched Thelma love Fred unconditionally. I've witnessed her holding his wrinkled face in her hands, and speaking close to him so he can read her lips as his hearing isn't what it used to be. If his legs were cool she would pull the blanket back and rub them with her warm hands until he said they felt better. When he had a fever, she held ice packs on different parts of his body to help cool him. When the doctors told him he had cancer earlier this week and he only has one to two months to live and he curled up in a fetal position to die, I watched her become the best cheerleader I've ever seen in my entire life ~ did I mention she is 83 years old and will turn 84 in just a few days? I watched as Fred's eyes glistened when she is in the room and is telling him how much she loves him, not just with the words I love you, but all of her positive and upbeat comments that she tells him, and believes them with all of her being. I watched her pat him on the chest not once but 100 times telling him how we're all going to help him to get better, "just you wait and see". I also saw the look in her eyes when her son, along with the hospice nurse, suggested they go to their sons house to live as there is more room for a hospital bed and the care he will need. I watched as 62 years worth or memories flashed before her ~ I watched as she realized that when they came in the hospital they thought it was for pneumonia and after a few days they would be going back home ~ to their life, in their home. When she looked at him, she told him they would stay at their sons just long enough for him to get better and then they can come back to their home ~ the one they have shared together for 62 years.
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You see, Thelma knows that Fred's days are numbered but she also believes that no matter what, you don't give up, you have to look at the glass not just half full but completely full until the very end. I have always thought of myself as a very optimistic person ~ if your given lemons you make lemonade and I can always find the silver lining in any cloud ~ sometimes you just have to look a little harder to find it, but it's there. However Thelma ~ she has taken the lesson of optimism and unconditional love to a level that truly takes my breath away.

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As a nurse you always hope that you can be an encouragement to your patients ~ a patient should be given "holistic care" meaning we treat and look at them as an entire person, their mind, body and spirit ~ did I mention Thelma's strong Christian spirit ~ it's incredible! As an instructor, I hope I've taught my students at least a few of the fundamentals of nursing during their first quarter of clinicals. However, the past few weeks, I have to say that Thelma has taught me more about life, unconditional love, and what's truly important than any text book could possibly teach ~ and for this Thursday, I am eternally thankful...for Thelma.