Nurse Appreciation Week - A Tribute To Nurses Everywhere

In the past 22 years, I've encountered hundreds of nurses - all of which have played an important role in my medical journey. Some of the nurses I remember by name and have had several times during my stays in the hospital. Others, I may have had when I was a baby and can't remember them at all. But whether or not I've had you as a nurse once or a fifteen times - your work has been appreciated by my family and I. For Nurse Appreciation Week, I dedicate this post to all nurses, everywhere. You are the unsung heroes of medical journeys. 

So often doctors are thanked and regarded with such high appreciation for finding the right diagnosis. But we know that without your watchful eye of our symptoms and expert reporting, the doctors wouldn't have anything to go off of to form a conclusion. Thank you. 

And after those life altering diagnosis and bad news are delivered, the doctors get to leave and go on to the next patient. But you stay behind with us. You hold our hands, answer our questions, reassure our parents and dry our eyes. Thank you. 

You become part of our family. You cry with us when there are set backs and rejoice when there is progress. Thank you. 

You are the liaison between us and the doctors. When they aren't able to call back or answer our questions or give us the results of test,  you understand the anxiety we feel during the time we spend waiting. So, you pick up the phone or type an e-mail from the office to answer and give the results of tests. Thank you. 

When doctors finally find the right medication or treatment, families and patients thank them profusely. Even though you've been there comforting us through every terrible side effect until the right combination was found. Thank you. 

You get attached to us, just as we grow attached to you. When you're assigned to a different patient on your next rotation, you still find time during your lunch break to come in and see how we're holding up. Thank you. 

You deal with patients barfing, peeing and bleeding all over you. And you do it all without making us feel embarrassed and help us keep our dignity during it all. Thank you. 

You deal with kids kicking and screaming, blaming you for having to get so much blood work and pokes. It breaks your heart and yet you do it because it's for our best. Thank you. 

You make medical terms understandable for the average person and explain procedures in English instead of medical jargon. Thank you. 

When our parents or guardians are not able to be with us in the hospital because they have to go to work or take care of our siblings, you step in and take over the role of comforter until they get back. Thank you. 

When we're missing our friends and just want to have some social interaction while being "locked up" in our hospital room - you take a seat on the edge of our beds and talk about something, anything, other than our illness. Thank you. 

There are thousands of things that you do every day that you may not even realize make a difference to patients and families. You may be our nurse and you are helping us physically heal, but your compassion and understanding towards patient and family, help all involved emotionally overcome whatever is going on. No other staff member sees what you see everyday. You are in the trenches with us, battling and fighting side by side. You are there for every terrible set back, treating the patients while trying to support our families at the same time. You help lead the charge, never asking for anything in return because, as you would say, "it's your job". But we know it's really your commitment and your compassion. This is a tribute to you because you don't get enough acknowledgment for all that you do. So, thank you for doing what you do, on behalf of families and patients everywhere.

Hope and Love, 

Becca