I think of you often and praying for you daily. I know you are strong and every bit of a fighter.
To answer your question, I feel valued just by simply being told thank you. So often is nurses are spoken to in not so nice ways, and we know most of that comes from feelings of fear/not in control of the situation the patient is in. Luckily most nurses understand this, but being told we are appreciated and thanked for making your uncomfortable stay with us just a little bit easier, is all we need.
My sister is a nurse and when she would work 12 hour night shifts, my parents and I would bring her and her coworkers a dozen Krispy Kremes for their shift. When my dad was on the COVID ward back in February, my mom just instinctively did that for them. Who doesn’t love a Krispy Kreme?? 🧡
I was a night shift nurse for 21 years, Heather after being a missionary nurse in Brazil for 11 years. The nursing in Brazil was primitive and I could have done surgeries if I wanted to but I didn’t! To come back home to the United States and be a nurse, what a grateful heart I had seeing cleanliness and professionalism as never before. However as a night shift nurse, when patients to be seem to be sicker, all I needed to lift my heart was to hear the word “thank you.”
I love nursing and very I miss it dreadfully. But I also remember the nurses at Saint Jude’s Children’s Hospital who cared for our Debbie at 12 years of age with ovarian cancer. God kept her here on earth as a “StJude alumnus”and praising God as she now is a pastor’s wife in Maryland. God brought a young widower with two children into her life 25 years ago. So Debbie never gave birth to a biological child, she became a second mother to two children who are now grown and married.
We love you Heather even with years of separation and we pray for you, your husband and your sons.
Just a simple “thank you” means a lot (most people forget). To personalise it makes it even more special. And to make the effort to write to the Ward Charge Nurse and thank all the staff is really appreciated by them all, including cleaners, ward assistants etc. God bless you Heather xx
Dear fabulous you, First of all to scroll on to all those yellow tennies was a delight!!!!
Second, I am just full of admiration for your positivity your your great writing and I am praying praying praying as you know for each and everyone of you and all those incredible nurses. The NHS is truly a gift from the Lord himself with a fabulous organization and such loving caring humans within it. Indescribably wonderful. You make this all sound so normal… And I absolutely adored your recollections of American recovery ward.. what an adventure if you ignore the pain of surgery! I can just see you… Anyway, dear friend, you are an erudite teller of tales...thank you for sharing everything with us and I will of course be on my knees for you about that biopsy. Lots of love, Cheryl Xx
Dear Heather! Thank you so much for this update. I have been praying for you throughout the past several days and especially over the weekend. The Lord continually brings you to mind. I love your wonderful attitude and perspective! I'm praying for the biopsy results. Big e-hugs to you!
As a retired nurse and one who hasn't done bedside nursing in many years, what always "made my day" (or more often my night), was a simple "thank-you." Don't get me wrong- nurses love it when families send snacks or goodies, etc., but just knowing that we're appreciated by the person we're caring for is worth even more! Most of my career was in Nurse Case Management, in an acute care setting- a hospital. Working with families to help them decide on the best care for their loved ones at discharge was rewarding work, but even more so, when the families or the patient expressed their thanks for my help. Helping families navigate the options for care, and negotiating with insurers to make sure they got the care they needed could have its frustrations, but the reward when they said "we couldn't have done this without you" far exceeded any other form of thanks.
Yes, one of the more gracious descriptions :) ... after a recent surgery for removal of my right kidney and large cancerous tumor attached to it, I needed a wound vac. It was just the beginning of Covid and our hospital had trimmed the staff down to almost no one. One nurse would come in on the days I needed her, and served me in so many ways while she herself was going through chemo for breast cancer. I prayed for her regularly and had a friend who is a "cookie artist" make cookies that were personalized for her - Isn't God good to provide for our needs and then to let us in when He is providing for others...praying for your special night nurse. Thank you Heather for letting us in and giving us an opportunity to pray for you and your family. I've been reading Today in the Word for many years - your name was familiar.
Yes, we all have "winds," don't we?
Thank you for this update. I love how you brought us right into the ward. I felt like I was there, and I'm so grateful for those wonderful nurses!
Lucille & I pray constantly ….for each Moffitt in every way we can think to pray love & hugs.
I pedal my prayers, miles & miles for Moffitt’s
I think of you often and praying for you daily. I know you are strong and every bit of a fighter.
To answer your question, I feel valued just by simply being told thank you. So often is nurses are spoken to in not so nice ways, and we know most of that comes from feelings of fear/not in control of the situation the patient is in. Luckily most nurses understand this, but being told we are appreciated and thanked for making your uncomfortable stay with us just a little bit easier, is all we need.
I love you ❤️
My sister is a nurse and when she would work 12 hour night shifts, my parents and I would bring her and her coworkers a dozen Krispy Kremes for their shift. When my dad was on the COVID ward back in February, my mom just instinctively did that for them. Who doesn’t love a Krispy Kreme?? 🧡
I was a night shift nurse for 21 years, Heather after being a missionary nurse in Brazil for 11 years. The nursing in Brazil was primitive and I could have done surgeries if I wanted to but I didn’t! To come back home to the United States and be a nurse, what a grateful heart I had seeing cleanliness and professionalism as never before. However as a night shift nurse, when patients to be seem to be sicker, all I needed to lift my heart was to hear the word “thank you.”
I love nursing and very I miss it dreadfully. But I also remember the nurses at Saint Jude’s Children’s Hospital who cared for our Debbie at 12 years of age with ovarian cancer. God kept her here on earth as a “StJude alumnus”and praising God as she now is a pastor’s wife in Maryland. God brought a young widower with two children into her life 25 years ago. So Debbie never gave birth to a biological child, she became a second mother to two children who are now grown and married.
We love you Heather even with years of separation and we pray for you, your husband and your sons.
Just a simple “thank you” means a lot (most people forget). To personalise it makes it even more special. And to make the effort to write to the Ward Charge Nurse and thank all the staff is really appreciated by them all, including cleaners, ward assistants etc. God bless you Heather xx
Dear fabulous you, First of all to scroll on to all those yellow tennies was a delight!!!!
Second, I am just full of admiration for your positivity your your great writing and I am praying praying praying as you know for each and everyone of you and all those incredible nurses. The NHS is truly a gift from the Lord himself with a fabulous organization and such loving caring humans within it. Indescribably wonderful. You make this all sound so normal… And I absolutely adored your recollections of American recovery ward.. what an adventure if you ignore the pain of surgery! I can just see you… Anyway, dear friend, you are an erudite teller of tales...thank you for sharing everything with us and I will of course be on my knees for you about that biopsy. Lots of love, Cheryl Xx
Dear Heather! Thank you so much for this update. I have been praying for you throughout the past several days and especially over the weekend. The Lord continually brings you to mind. I love your wonderful attitude and perspective! I'm praying for the biopsy results. Big e-hugs to you!
As a retired nurse and one who hasn't done bedside nursing in many years, what always "made my day" (or more often my night), was a simple "thank-you." Don't get me wrong- nurses love it when families send snacks or goodies, etc., but just knowing that we're appreciated by the person we're caring for is worth even more! Most of my career was in Nurse Case Management, in an acute care setting- a hospital. Working with families to help them decide on the best care for their loved ones at discharge was rewarding work, but even more so, when the families or the patient expressed their thanks for my help. Helping families navigate the options for care, and negotiating with insurers to make sure they got the care they needed could have its frustrations, but the reward when they said "we couldn't have done this without you" far exceeded any other form of thanks.
Yes, one of the more gracious descriptions :) ... after a recent surgery for removal of my right kidney and large cancerous tumor attached to it, I needed a wound vac. It was just the beginning of Covid and our hospital had trimmed the staff down to almost no one. One nurse would come in on the days I needed her, and served me in so many ways while she herself was going through chemo for breast cancer. I prayed for her regularly and had a friend who is a "cookie artist" make cookies that were personalized for her - Isn't God good to provide for our needs and then to let us in when He is providing for others...praying for your special night nurse. Thank you Heather for letting us in and giving us an opportunity to pray for you and your family. I've been reading Today in the Word for many years - your name was familiar.