All in a day.......

In my last post and my rant about accessibility to health care in rural communities, I mentioned that although our system had it's flaws there are good points to it as well. Today I want to share a story where the system does work.

I worked over the weekend. The other day at work I was recovering a patient who had been called in by the surgeon. He had the results of her MRI and said he wanted to perform an examination but the patient would need to have general anesthetic. Hence I was her nurse in the recovery room.

I think I have mentioned in previous posts how patients wake up in varying states emotions, crying, vomiting, shivering, laughing and smiling. This lady was a smiler(is that a word?) Anyhow, she had the most beautiful smile, and such gentle caring eyes. As she was drifting in and out of la la land....I was reviewing the reports from the surgeon. The news was not good. She had cancer. While she was still half asleep the doctor ordered all kinds of blood work to be drawn, he went down to CT and booked her for a scan, he went and spoke with the husband. Once she was awake he spoke with her. Her beautiful smile was quickly turned upside down. She was suspicious herself but to have it confirmed of course was terrible news. The surgeon was just so wonderful with her, he told her he made all the arrangements for further tests, he requested a rush on the biopsies, and he would coordinate everything for her to get to the Cancer center in Victoria. He was very gentle and kind with her. She in her stunned and still somewhat groggy state was trying to take it all in.

After the surgeon left, I asked her if she had any questions she couldn't think of any at the time.....she went on to say....she just got married in the summer to the man of her dreams. My heart sank. As she became more clear we chatted some more and I answered some more of her questions. I helped her get dressed and wheeled her out to her waiting husband. They gently and lovingly hugged.....she kissed his hand. I wheeled her to the elevator and they held hands the whole way. I left them at the elevator.....they needed some privacy and to be able to start to share what would the road ahead would have in store for them.

Although this story is a sad one, it demonstrates that when someone truly needs the services of our health care system it is there for them....treatment is given in an expedited fashion. She will have to undergo radiation and chemotherapy treatments, but that will be after her trip to Victoria next week.

My thoughts and prayers go out to her.