Shuffling into the kitchen to make coffee I rub my tired eyes begging them to stay open.
I put some instant oatmeal in the microwave and proceed with getting ready for a day.
This was my second week on my leadership rotation on the surgical ICU.
Finally there is some consistency to what I am doing. Oh how I love consistency.
I love walking onto the unit in the morning and saying "goodmorning ____" and having them return my sleepy hello. I'm loving the consistency. I'm making friends with the doctors, nurses, cath lab people, techs. Consistency rocks.
However, the day in the life of a nurse can usually be described as the opposite of consistent.
Most moments are unexpected.
Especially on the ICU.
I've seen several codes.
I've stood there wide eyed praying silently for God to make their heart start beating again.
Sometimes he does. Sometimes not.
No matter how much I plan my day, stuff happens. Traumas. Codes. Patients in emotional crisis.
This week was no exception.
For a person who loves consistency so much, this profession full of inconsistency sure does bring me so much joy.
Because not all the unexpected moments are patients leaving us.
There are ones that make come backs no one would have dreamed would happen.
Moments like quietly sitting with a crying 90 year old woman with a broken hip and a failing heart reminding her how strong she is. How beautiful she is.
Hearing a patients first words after being taken off the ventilator.
Seeing husbands comfort their sick wives by just being there.
Watching families gather around a hospital bed holding hands and praying.
In these unexpected moments I take a deep breath, fill my lungs, and say thanks to the one who orchestrates it all.
Consistency is nice but there is beauty in the unexpected.
No comments:
Post a Comment