Clearly, my job is giving me much opportunity for improving my prayer life! And also for recognizing God's hand in circumstance...
The patient that I blogged about last time was sent home Saturday. After two days off from work, I wasn't sure what/who I would find in "her" room. She was still there and she looked remarkable. There had been a great deal of healing to her burns and her color was great! Her eyes were bright and clear and she was much more alert and aware of what was going on around her. What a miracle! However, without another miracle, her story will not have a happy ending (at least not here on Earth). She has gone home with hospice in place and I imagine will be worshiping Jesus face to face in the next month or two. Her cancer is very advanced. I am just thrilled that she knows Jesus!
Another patient of ours came in with exacerbated COPD. She requested a breathing treatment, it was ordered and within a half hour of finishing the treatment, she was placed in ICU. Even during the treatment, she couldn't breathe. Upon returning from my "weekend" I recognized a name on the patient list and it suddenly donned on me...It was the same patient that had been on the floor the previous week. It was clear that she was on the floor only for "comfort care". She was passing away. I asked the nurse about the situation, wanting to be fully aware so I didn't make some hurtful blunder in front of her gathered family. She told me that the mask she was breathing through was all that was keeping her alive at that point and that her family had made the decision to remove it the following day. She passed away yesterday. It was very touching to me. She was such a quiet and gentle woman and I was saddened to realize just how sick she really was. Her family is equally kind and my prayers and heart go out to them at this time. I believe, by there actions, that they too know the Lord.
There are of course, the success stories. The young man who was in because of, as he put it, "genetically bad blood" who has been released and will likely continue to do well; The little lady who had a partial hip replacement after falling and will make a full recovery with some therapy; the woman who was in so ill with a kidney infection that she was in ICU and with us on the floor for over a week who has been sent home with a resolution to her health problems. Though these people may or may not know the Lord, I still see His hand at work in their lives. He is so good!
Thanks for "listening" to my thoughts...Heather
Monday, March 30, 2009
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Opportunities
Hello all! I realize that it has been over 3 weeks since I last blogged! So much has been going on lately and I have just been exhausted.
I am really excited about my job as a CNA at St. Jame's Hospital here in Butte. I finished with orientation and actually got started working two weeks ago...hence the exhaustion! I am working the 3-11:30 shift and while it works out well with Kylee's school, it has been quite an adjustment. The daycare that the girls are attending has literally been a Godsend. He knew what I would need before I even did and opened the way. Normally she would close at 11 and most of her kiddos would be gone by 11:15 but she agreed to stay open until 11:30 just to work around my schedule. How cool is that?!
My job is going to be a great place to minister to people. I fear that I lack the courage and strength to be Christ-like, though. Although, the other night I was very blessed to be sitting with a patient who is very ill. She is basically dying and knows it but doesn't talk about it. Of course, it is difficult for her to speak because of her illness. But, as we were talking and I was holding her hand just to comfort her she told me she was afraid to fall asleep. She didn't say more than that but in her eyes I saw the fear of death. It was so powerful. I felt God pressing me to ask her if she knew Jesus. He told me 3 or 4 times before I mustered the courage to do so. I knew the last time I heard that voice that if I didn't do it then that He would quit asking and wait for a later time and I was more afraid of giving in to cowardice than of asking her. I asked her if she knew Jesus and her wonderful response was "I love Jesus." My heart soared! I then talked with her a little about how in Jesus there is no need to fear death because it is not an end, but a new beginning. Then she asked me why we should want to die. Wow! That was hard. I told her that I didn't think that we should WANT to die but neither should we fear death. It was a pretty neat time and my heart broke for her in her pain, solitude and fear. If you would all pray for her to be released from her fear and to be given a great peace I would appreciate it.
God has been so good to me lately. Well, always, but I am seeing amazing things happening in my life that can be from nowhere but God. I am so grateful that HE is in charge of my life and not ME!
Love to all~
JustWe3
I am really excited about my job as a CNA at St. Jame's Hospital here in Butte. I finished with orientation and actually got started working two weeks ago...hence the exhaustion! I am working the 3-11:30 shift and while it works out well with Kylee's school, it has been quite an adjustment. The daycare that the girls are attending has literally been a Godsend. He knew what I would need before I even did and opened the way. Normally she would close at 11 and most of her kiddos would be gone by 11:15 but she agreed to stay open until 11:30 just to work around my schedule. How cool is that?!
My job is going to be a great place to minister to people. I fear that I lack the courage and strength to be Christ-like, though. Although, the other night I was very blessed to be sitting with a patient who is very ill. She is basically dying and knows it but doesn't talk about it. Of course, it is difficult for her to speak because of her illness. But, as we were talking and I was holding her hand just to comfort her she told me she was afraid to fall asleep. She didn't say more than that but in her eyes I saw the fear of death. It was so powerful. I felt God pressing me to ask her if she knew Jesus. He told me 3 or 4 times before I mustered the courage to do so. I knew the last time I heard that voice that if I didn't do it then that He would quit asking and wait for a later time and I was more afraid of giving in to cowardice than of asking her. I asked her if she knew Jesus and her wonderful response was "I love Jesus." My heart soared! I then talked with her a little about how in Jesus there is no need to fear death because it is not an end, but a new beginning. Then she asked me why we should want to die. Wow! That was hard. I told her that I didn't think that we should WANT to die but neither should we fear death. It was a pretty neat time and my heart broke for her in her pain, solitude and fear. If you would all pray for her to be released from her fear and to be given a great peace I would appreciate it.
God has been so good to me lately. Well, always, but I am seeing amazing things happening in my life that can be from nowhere but God. I am so grateful that HE is in charge of my life and not ME!
Love to all~
JustWe3
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