Nothing to it

Over the years, there are patients that I happily forget the minute I clock out and walk out the door. And then there are those that even after 6 years I still haven't forgotten. What is it about them that has made them unforgettable? Mostly because they come to wherever I've worked and they're genuinely nice people who have just fallen on some very tough times. A few of the unforgettable ones have been the interestingly psychotic, but no. Most of the time they're the regular jo schmo's of the world who like I said, have just fallen on dire straits and reached that point where they've said "oh my. I need some help or I'm going to self destruct."

There's a stigma, a BIG one, about addicts. They're manipulative, they're evil, they're scum of the earth and it's their own fault that they're here and they need to "suffer the consequences of their choices." I'm sorry, but that's just a disgusting opinion. Why should they be treated any different? Anywho, I'm going to get off my soap box, because most of these unforgettable patients have also faced addiction, mostly alcoholism. Sadly, when these patients leave, we don't know what happens to them. I wish there were some in my mind that I could check in on, just to see how they're doing. I hope they're well.

One comes to my mind, and we crossed paths recently. Again, a struggle with a long addiction that was really starting to take its toll. Probably one of the nicest people I've ever met in my entire life. And it's not just the superficial fake niceness, no. This was authentic and genuine niceness. Always greeted me "good morning Kelly," asked me how I was and just always had a smile on their face. Easy to talk to, fretted a bit about normal things, but, gosh. Their presence just made my day. They left not too long ago and I was off on the day they left. I promised I'd say goodbye before I left for the day, and sure enough, I did. The last thing they said to me?
"Kelly, thank you for always being so kind to me." And yes, there were a few tears on both ends.

My job more often than not doesn't really feel like a job. I don't know about the rest of my team, but I go there to try and do my best to make a difference in those who really need a difference. They may not realize it, because sometimes our patients just really don't have the right head space to keep that in mind (and God forgive me, I really forget that sometimes and I'm working on it). But I know I'm making a difference when a patient tells me "you're always so helpful. You just drop everything and help me, even though I know you're busy." And just being attuned to their needs, as we say it, anticipating their needs. It gets tiresome on their side when they ask for a piece of nicotine gum PRN with their am and afternoon meds, and you keep forgetting. I've done it before, but I pay attention. I ask them "do you need anything else right now?" (A wonderful nurse I adore working with taught me that). And I'm a team player; it's not beneath me to not help out a fellow patient because they're "not my patient." If I'm right there, why not? Hello? Common sense, really. And the new nurse on the unit is following my lead. So many of the patients and other staff say "oh wow, thank you for doing that." And my answer is simple, as it should be; there's nothing to it.

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