One of my patient's is dying today.I have been his nurse for a year now. I have to admit he is one of my favorite patients. I have grown close to him and his wife. Sometimes on my visits we just sat and talked about nothing. No sickness, no death. We talked about politics, children, his grandaughter, religion. We talked about everything. When I traveled, they wanted to hear all about it. He educated me on his Jewish faith and answered all my inquisitive questions. I loved him. He was warm. Sweet. He loved hugs. He was wonderful. About a month ago him and his partner got married. They had been together over fifteen years. She says they never got married because they were never ready to take the plunge at the same time. Their wedding was beautiful. He told me a few weeks ago, "I wish I had done it sooner."
About a month ago his wife started having her own health problems. She went in for tests. This week as her husband lies dying in our in-patient hospice unit, she found out that she has stage 4 lymphoma. This will probably kill her.
Her husband is now unresponsive. I visited him yesterday. She said nothing about her own health issues. She is focused on him.
I don't understand situations like these. She is a young woman, in her late 50's I would guess. Why? Why lose the love of her life, only to find out that she will die young as well? Maybe because they are supposed to be together for eternity, and now they will be. I don't know. I have no answers. It just seems so unfair. Who said life was fair? I know it's not, there are lessons. Sometimes I just can't figure out what they are.
Maybe I am not supposed to.
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1 comment:
I will say a prayer for your patient tonight that he cross over in peace. Vanessa
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