I am a pretty healthy person and can count on one hand the number of times I've been hospitalized in my lifetime. That said, recently I experienced the most excruciating pain I've ever known that carried over the next 4 days, and included 2 ER visits, 2 hospital admissions, and emergency surgery.
I have the greatest respect for doctors but during this time as a patient, the differing opinions and inability to make a decision caused me to question myself. Should I really be here? Am I a wimp? Should I have stayed home? It gave me terrible anxiety on top of the horrible pain I was in.
That is until a particular nurse walked up to me lying in bed, took my face in her hands, looked me in the eyes and said, "You are a very sick girl and this is exactly where you need to be. If you could read these test results you would understand just how sick you are." That statement was a turning point for me. My anxiety and all of the questions just fell away. She then came back with a bucket full of ice water and 3 washcloths and swathed my head and neck and for the first time, I slept and was able to truly rest. She knew what I needed even when I didn't. She recognized my anxiety and saw the person beyond the pain. She took what was a horrible experience for me and made it bearable. I want to say all of the nurses who cared for me had great compassion and kindness. But Paula went above and beyond giving me great clinical care. She took the time to look, see the need of the person in the bed and fill that need.