Being a True C A R I N G C A T A L Y S T
means that Compassion and Love
need no Legislation or Policing and
Obliterates THEM and THEY
or I and YOU
and only is known abundantly as
US and WE. . .
T I S S U E
A T i s s u e. . .
Simple request, huh. . .
I was visiting them
for just a routine visit;
One month. . .
A month ago he was power washing his deck
buying a new car
going to a clam bake
and being diagnosed for the first time
with advance pancreatic cancer. . .
A Month Ago
isn’t a very long time. . .
a mere 744 hours
a mere 44,640 minutes
a mere 2,678,4000 seconds
. . .a month
and now he’s just literally moments away from dying. . .
My Charting very sterilely states:
I provided supportive presence via active listening/validation of feelings/comments, life/faith/family review; I shared scripture/prayer/blessing/healing touch; the pt was never fully awake/responsive during visit but appears comfortable/managed; pt is showing s/s of actively dying with his breathing pattern and the mottling of his skin on his hands, lips and feet up to his knees; the family expressed thanks for my visit and for all services/interventions/support shown; when sharing that the he was our patient and they are our concern, I asked if I could be of any other service or if I could bring them anything; pt’s wife responded: “TISSUE.” Can you bring us a softer tissue?” I left room and acquired a softer box of tissues from the supply room. . . .”
Paint a picture
Just the facts
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
. . .as abrasive as a cheap, non-brand tissue. . .
He died shortly after I left for the day
and now I think of him
o f t e n
with every tissue I see
and I seem to be seeing them
e v e r y w h e r e
The word C O M P A S S I O N
comes from Greek word
which literally translates:
S U F F E R I N G W I T H
and it’s never the S U F F E R I N G
that’s emphasized so much as
THE WITH
R E A L C H A N G E
never really is the JINGLE
in your pocket
so much as the recognition
IT IS THE ONLY THING CONSTANT
in our lives
and often something we have little control. . .
A Month isn’t a very long time
A Tissue isn’t very much of a request in a world of
W A N T S
We’re not called to be millionaires
We’re not called to be Fixers
We’re not called to be Healers
We’re not called to be Nurses
We’re not called to be Doctors
We’re not called to be Chaplains
We’re not called to be Nursing Assistants
We’re not called to be Counselors
We’re called to be Compassionate People
The WHERE
THE WHEN
THE HOW
is inconsequential
to the T H A T
WE ARE COMPASSIONATE
WE ARE KIND
WE ARE EMPATHETIC
WE ARE SYMPATHETIC
WE ARE CARING CATALYSTS
IS IT TOO MUCH TO ASK. . .
IS IT TOO MUCH EXPECT. . .
IS IT TOO MUCH FEEL. . .
IF WE FAIL. . .
CAN IT BE IN EXHAUSTING EVERY EFFORT
TO L O V E. . .
l e t s f i n d o u t
even if it’s just
a softer t i s s u e. . .
Being a True C A R I N G C A T A L Y S T
means that Compassion and Love
need no Legislation or Policing and
Obliterates THEM and THEY
or I and YOU
and only is known abundantly as
US and WE. . .
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