It has been a sad week at work and it can be hard to maintain a stable psyche on an oncology unit. I can't pretend to understand what my patients and their families are going through and sometimes I become overwhelmed with emotion at work. However, this exchange has kept a positive hope on my heart throughout this week.
I had two patients two weeks ago who were sharing their hospital room, a curtain being their only divide. As far as I know, they didn't speak much, but they could hear each other's stories when I would come and assess them, talk to them or give them their medications. The man who had the window-bed was there because of an attempted suicide, so he was with a companion for 24 hours a day. He was also homeless. His roommate gleaned all of this information quickly, but did not request another room or say a thing about it.
The roommate (who had the bed closest to the door) developed an infection that required a private room, so we proceeded to gather up his belongings and move him across the hall. However, before he left, of his own accord, he pulled back the curtain to introduce himself. He then proceeded to give his roommate twenty dollars, saying, "To help you get a fresh start. Good luck."
I see some amazing people at the hospital, but it is rare that the patients are aware of each other's hardships. To witness a patient showing compassion to another... well, it was pretty great.
I had two patients two weeks ago who were sharing their hospital room, a curtain being their only divide. As far as I know, they didn't speak much, but they could hear each other's stories when I would come and assess them, talk to them or give them their medications. The man who had the window-bed was there because of an attempted suicide, so he was with a companion for 24 hours a day. He was also homeless. His roommate gleaned all of this information quickly, but did not request another room or say a thing about it.
The roommate (who had the bed closest to the door) developed an infection that required a private room, so we proceeded to gather up his belongings and move him across the hall. However, before he left, of his own accord, he pulled back the curtain to introduce himself. He then proceeded to give his roommate twenty dollars, saying, "To help you get a fresh start. Good luck."
I see some amazing people at the hospital, but it is rare that the patients are aware of each other's hardships. To witness a patient showing compassion to another... well, it was pretty great.
Comments
Are you documenting these moments? I mean other than here on this blog. Because they would probably be helpful to look back on when those really horrible days block out your ability to memory recall! [I should probably start something similar. . .]