i just have to share this. i had a patient the other day who has been through more suffering and trauma in one lifetime than seems possible. early in childhood this patient was badly marred in an accident and so has lived into adult life with some debilitating and disfiguring effects and now 6 months ago was the victim of a random violent crime. the patient survived this attack against all odds and has been through something like 8 surgeries to repair and reconstruct what was harmed. not all of the procedures have gone well. it has been a painful and brutal process. we saw the patient for the latest surgery, one to clean up all the infection left behind, and when i visited the pre-op room, i found a cheerful, hopeful and funny patient ready to buckle down and face this next challenge. it was surprising and endearing, considering the history, to say the least.
but the thing that really hurt my heart was after the surgery, while we were getting ready to head to recovery and when waking up from the sedation, the patient kept saying to all of us, "God bless you." to the nurses, the MD, the PA's, me, "God bless you. Thank you, thank you so much." i could hardly breath. how could someone who has been drop-kicked by the universe so many times over be so gracious and loving and giving? amazing. it certainly made me curse myself for whining about the occasional stress or the flu. i want that attitude, that spirit and faith. that courage. all i could think to say was, "God bless YOU." and i believe that He does.
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