Not All Nurses Wear Capes

It was a beautiful spring Sunday in early May.? The winter was over, and plenty of work needed to be done outside and around the house.??

Our youngest son was graduating from high school, and we were planning a big party for him at the house. A couple of years earlier, we moved to a home with acreage in the Tennessee countryside, with the idea that the boys would have a place to host their friends and no one would mind them being noisy young men.

I was spring cleaning inside the house while? Brian was outside with the power washer cleaning out leaves in the gutters. Our single-story house had a bonus room built over the garage. A ladder was definitely required to reach those gutters; luckily, we had one tall enough to get them.

Our youngest, Patrick, also helped with the cleanup. Suddenly, I heard a loud noise and Patrick yelling for me to come outside.

Brian was lying on the ground, and so was the ladder.? Patrick and I helped him up, and he hobbled into the house.? Pretty soon, his foot and ankle started to swell. We elevated and iced it, and he took some Tylenol for pain relief.??

The next day, we saw the doctor to learn he had a broken heel bone that would require surgery. Little did we know that was only the beginning.

To make a very long story slightly shorter, that surgery led to complications that required several other surgeries, multiple trips to the doctor, IV medications at home, injections at home, dressing changes where the incision for the surgery was made, and many other care needs.

I was an internal consultant for a large healthcare company and needed to travel several days at a time, almost every week. Brian could do much of the care himself, and? Patrick was there to help with some of it as well. But thank goodness I had a group of friends, all nurses!

KB, JD, and SR came to my rescue more than once to change a dressing, give an injection, or hang an IV medication.? The heel eventually got better and no longer needed medical attention, but not long after that, Brian was diagnosed with cancer.? There wasn’t a connection between the two illnesses except that my team of nurses was there for the cancer part as well.

KB was an extraordinary oncology nurse who held Brian’s and my hands through that entire ordeal.? We met years before, working together on an IV team.? Her dad was dying, and she needed some time off. I volunteered to work her shifts. We forged a forever bond after that. When KB and I worked together, the shift flew by. Her clinical knowledge is extensive, and I always felt confident she had the answers to any of my questions. She is a dear friend, and I can’t imagine how I would have managed Brian’s illness without her by my side.??

JD and I worked on a project involving lots of travel and meetings. She is a stellar nurse and advocate for patients. Her heart is made of gold, and she is a lot of fun to be with. I remember we took a business trip to South Carolina one time. The car rental assigned us a Mustang convertible. We had three people and our luggage crammed into that car, and we laughed so hard on the way to the hotel. We did great work together, and I will never forget her kindness and support when I needed it most!

SR and I worked together several times in different places and roles. She is a fantastic nurse, a strong patient advocate, and a great leader. I will always remember her advice when it was time to involve hospice for Brian. She knew exactly what we needed and jumped into action to help make it happen. Although we rarely see each other, she would be there in a heartbeat if I needed a nurse.

These ladies embody the spirit of nursing. They care for people, no matter the setting, the time of day, or the need. They may not wear a cape, but they are my superheroes. I am eternally grateful for their friendship, their incredible clinical knowledge and skills, and their big, big hearts.? ??