The Character Above A Prosthetic Leg And A Failing Kidney.

He may be missing a leg, and have a non- functioning kidney squatting inside his body, but his mobility is far more stable than many people standing on two feet. The depth of his character and personality go far deeper than some bodies with completely functioning organs. Heart, mind, attitude and personality; all fully intact. His upbeat, jolly and talkative personality is infectious. It is surprising I managed to complete my many nursing tasks for him during the short 1.5 hours from when he was firsts placed under my care one evening until I handed that role over tonight shift; because conversation does consume time.

Every person and situation one encounters in life may be used as an opportunity to learn and grow from; whether the encounter is negative or positive. This man may have been missing a leg, in addition to a list of co-morbidities, and he was anxiously awaiting to hear possibly life altering medical decisions related to his health condition; but his cheerful and positive personality remain unchanged. 

I tell how it amazes me how he is handling the situation. He is so strong. I ask him how. He says it's a mask, that he isn't showing his concerns and his doubts. He puts up a darn good front. Just speaking to him, not knowing the health situation, and closing eyes to his hospital room location and the prosthetic leg resting at his bed side, one will meet an individual who sees life's colors, and makes the bland in life tasty. He taught me that life will hit you in the face wither way, one can choose jump that bridge or cautiously balance  way across it. He is balancing with one leg and a failing kidney, and I’ll bet on the success of his journey.

As a new nurse, an air of confidence must be masked whether true confidence is present beneath it or not. Sometimes a patient may challenge the mask we put on, others manage to unknowingly keep it sealed tight and sturdy. He managed to peel off the mask and find the genuine face of confidence in my work and rapport with my patients. 

Each morning the nurses on my unit write our name on the whiteboard at the patient's bedside, so throughout the day, we aren't called nurse, we are called by name by those under our care. We write goals on that board, things we will work on with our patient's that day. Usually the daily goals consist of getting up to a chair, walking, pain control... When I asked him his goals the next morning he was under my care, he said world peace and to win the lottery. And so it was written on the white board; and then the day began. 

As our conversations throughout the day continued, I told him about how I express my nursing thoughts and experiences via my blog, next thing I know; there was a read a-loud of my stories in his hospital room. When I came back in the room for evening medications, 2.5 out of his 4 chapter response was written. His words humble me, and puts the my writing to shame.

With his permission I will share his response. I only write about the side of the caregiver. His writing exposes the story of the cared for, the organism receiving the meds, the human being under the blankets of the hospital bed.