In my last post,
I fear I gave nursing a bad name. Let me try to correct that.
I have a number of homeless patients who live at the shelter. They take the bus to the clinic. The bus arrives before the clinic opens. As a result, they wait at the bus stop when I pull up. I wave, get out of my car and go around to the back entrance. Someone opens the front door and they file down to the waiting room. Then, we begin.
For the most part, it goes pretty well. On Tuesday, I had to help a guy out though. He struggles with getting to AA meetings. The struggle is inherent to recovery. When a person is addicted, their ability to handle stress is lowered. And that's just normal stress. When they sober up; then take a look at the damage done to their health, finances and family life, it can be overwhelming. Plus, they might have something underneath, like crippling depression or anxiety. Without alcohol, these problems come to the surface.
I empathize with these folks. Living life sober and rebuilding that life is very, very, very, very hard. This is why helping them is awesome. Sobriety is not maintained without some sort of help. And that's what I do, help.
So, I went to AA.org, found meetings for within biking distance from the homeless shelter. Then, I put my google maps skills to good use. I did this for a man whose been in an alcoholic hole for the last 25 years. He had no idea how to even turn a computer on, let alone do those basic things. It was a simple act of kindness.
And for this, I am so very, very, very, very, very thankful. I am thankful that I have this job, being a nurse. I am thankful I have been given a kind and loving heart. I am thankful I can do simple things to help those in need. I am blessed that I can put my skills to good use. I feel privileged to give witness for all of this.
Because that patient has been sober six months. I get to help him with this. And all of this is awesome beyond belief.
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Your awesome-ness knows know bound...(truely).
This raises another interesting issue though. That of technological ignorance. I don't mean to say it in a bad way, but the number of lower socio-economic individuals in this country (illegal aliens, the uneducated, the mentally infirm, the elderly) are being left behind in the advancement that is known as the technological revolution.
Since everything is techno-based these days, these individuals are clueless. Hence springs up the intermediary corp, whose only job is to aide those that can't help themselves. Another, growing facet of the service economy on which most of our economic base now rests.
For a progressive society, the number of citizens that lack many of these basic skills, shows that we aren't as progress as we once thought.
yeah, so this patient of mine, the one who spent 25 years in an alcoholic hole, wasn't helped by technology, he was helped by me. I could opened the gd phone book and done the same thing. OR he could have asked shelter staff for help.
dude lost everything, his wife, kids, house and truck. he has nothing. his family has written him off. plus he has crippling anxiety. and a damaged brain. so, i helped him. and it feels good because no matter or station or education level, we all need help sometimes.
i'm just glad to be of service.
You're so kind and I love to read about it. This is why I keep coming back to see what you have to say. :)
God's work through your hands. that is showing real love.
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