Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Life

I am always amazed by the human race.  Today while at work I met a family who was so concerned about showing their "support" that they forgot to ask the patient what he wanted.  I was stressing out trying to get all of the details arranged and things set up...just when I had all of the pieces falling into place the patient, who is very short of breath and having a hard time talking, tells me he doesn't want to go home until in the morning.  This in itself was not a big deal, but I just know that in him making the decision to stay in the hospital tonight that he will most likely not make it out of the hospital, that he will probably die tonight in the hospital...again this is not something different in my job.  However the family was so mad.  I have such a hard time keeping my cool with families who tell me that the patients comfort is all they care about...then why get mad when a patient changes their mind or gets scared or try and talk them into something they don't want or out of something they do???  Most days I love my job...the fact that I get to help people die comfortably on their own terms, but somedays when it feels like the fates, families and "system" are against me I just want to come home, take a hot shower and go to bed...yeah RIGHT...that is SO not my life!  LMAO...to keep from crying!

1 comment:

  1. Keep your chin up. My sister works in hospice and she tells me that for her its all about the patient first, the family after that. Its gives the patient a bit of structure and control when everything else is spinning away. At least your patients have you to be compassionate and caring. Thank you!

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