Visiting with the
Sisters (nurses) has been an incredible experience. The love and
compassion extended is truly universal. The circumstances and setting might
be a bit different but the caring and love has only one voice.
Sister Joanne leans over the patient who is turned on her side facing the wall
- she can't see the Sister's face and it only adds to her confusion - so Sister
Joanne gently wedges herself between the wall and the patient, lying on a
mattress on the floor of the living room, and crawls up until they are face to
face "oh my darling, my darling", the patient whispers.... "it
is you" and with that she smiles.
On another visit, I
witnessed the power of the interdisciplinary team. Sister Joanne
delicately began to explain that the journey the patient was now on was one
that was moving in a different direction than the past 8 years. The
patient laid in bed, rigid from years of brain inactivity, her wedding picture
showing a very different vibrant woman. Her daughter agonizing over what
else she could do to keep her mother in the present. Terri, the chaplain
and I, the social worker, were able to begin to share a very different journey
that her mother was approaching and so too, was the daughter. We communicated through our eyes and hearts as we gently
walked next to this family on their journey home.
I feel so privileged
to have this honor to share my skills with our sister hospice...Hospice Wits and
at the same time learn from them about caring compassion at all times and
sometimes, in the face of utter poverty. Love is truly
universal. Joy too is universal....and so is music! The smiles,
laughter, and the hope always overcome the sadness. Let us always remember that we need them all.
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