Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Signs of God

Those little things that show the Divine presence is here.

I ended up talking to a patient and family today that happened to be in a room I had a referral too. As we talked, the older patient was in fear of having a procedure of enduring so many procedures and dealing with death so much. She mentioned that a relative died yesterday morning at the other hospital. I asked for the name. I was on call Monday night at the other hospital and I was present at the death of her relative and met with the other members of her family. We really had a connection.

This is one of those times when we are placed in the right place at the right time for a purpose that is so much greater than us.

Saturday, December 12, 2009

You're the chaplain!

I was out visiting patients when I met someone who says "you're the chaplain that sat with my daughter". I was lost and asked her for more information because I had no recollection of ever meeting this patient. Then she said she was a Code and I went and sat with her daughter for a long time while the doctors took care of her. I then remembered the incident and the daughter.
Sometimes we touch someone just by sitting there.

Saturday, December 05, 2009

Hope

Veni, Veni Emmanuel

It is about hope. It always is.

I had two tough days because a man saw no hope and ended his life.

I was with his family for 2 days as they watched the attempts to keep the man alive but the decision was to not prolong an ending.

I could not be there when the end came but I know there was hope.

I saw it in his family that will continue living, loving, hoping.

I know his children will always have hope

But this is not about that . It is about a hope that is here and one to come.

Come Hope,

Come now and let this pain be gone

Come hope into this darkness and be the light

Come hope into our midst and be the love

Come hope, just be present as I get up and see your creation and want to know the whys

Come Hope and just let your peace settle upon me

Just enough for today.

Come

Tuesday, December 01, 2009

Gratitude

I received a letter at work today from a family that lost a loved one. They used words to express their thanks to the whole staff for the care they and their son received. I shared the letter with the staffs on two floors and gave it to the ICU charge nurse.
We then talked about this whole incident again. The doctors took this death hard and still need to process and they know we are there to listen, even if we don't understand all the medical jargon/test results.
Someone took the time to say thanks for doing your job. Just not something you hear to much anymore.
From my heart. You are welcome.