A blowout...

Ok, more memories.....

I was working subacute ICU, and I had a little lady who'd had a colostomy, and as you will when you have one, she had a "blowout." I think you can figure out what those are, and she was in her late 60's, and so terribly embarassed, and I just cleaned her up as quickly and thorougly as i could, and then she burst into tears....

I knew what was bothering her or at least had a good idea, and sat down on the bed, helped her sit up, and gave her a big hug, and handed her a tissue, and said, "Talk to me..."

She told me how terribly embarrassed that had been here, and good God, what if that happened in public?

I told her that she would just need to know where the nearest ladies room is, and carry a bag with a change of clothes, and a plastic bag. But I looked at her and said, "My friend Dennis has lived with one for 11 years and he's managed to do okay....and yours will be reversed in six months...I think you can get through that, right?"

Renewed, she asked, what had happened to my friend, and I told her he'd been shot. She asked how I knew someome who'd been shot and I said I'd taken care of him in my EMT days, and he'd looked me up after he got out of the hospital......but now of course, HIPPA prevents that, and I truly think that's unfortunate.

But anyhow, fast forward about six weeks, and my nurse manager showed me a card she had sent to the hospital......and a specific note to the management thanking each shift nurse, and me, for taking the time out of my busy day to dispense a much needed hug. And a gift card to "Bed, Bath and Body Works."

It wasn't about the gift card. It wasn't that few take the time out to thank their shift nurses.

She showed me the same kindness I showed her.

I passed the ball to her, she passed it back. I passed it back.

She could have gone to the hospital on the other side of town, which I found out would have been closer to her and her son's home when she had her revision.

She insisted on using our hospital.