God created us to connect. To comfort with contact. He even designed our skin with 2000 to 3000 touch receptors in each of our fingertips that trigger a cascade of chemicals when they’re stimulated. Touch decreases stress and anxiety, increases trust, builds disease resistance, and helps us connect to those we care for. Infants deprived touch fail to […]
who heals broken hearts
My shoe covers rustle along the linoleum floor until I come to the holding area. I find her, eyes closed on the gurney, brown wisps around green paper cap. A tiny lady almost swallowed by crisp white and warm woven. I pick up the chart at the foot of the bed and page through it. […]
To the One Who Heals (Repost for National Nurses Week)
My shoe covers rustle along the linoleum floor until I come to the holding area. I find her, eyes closed on the gurney, brown wisps around green paper cap. A tiny lady almost swallowed by crisp white and warm woven. I pick up the chart at the foot of the bed and page through […]
In Which I Leave the Bedside
I’m twenty years old, working as a G.N. (graduate nurse), still waiting to find out if I passed my boards. It’s 3 p.m., and I come on duty to discover I’m in charge of all the intensive care patients. I have two regularly-scheduled nurse’s aides and one practical nurse who’s never worked on this […]
For National Nurses Week: Through the Time Tunnel (repost)
Monday, September 13, 2010 I enter a time tunnel and stand in front of Andersen Center, what used to be Andersen Hall. I’m surprised that it still stands. I’m overwhelmed. I look up and see my room. On the corner. With the bay windows. I must go inside. But my husband says we can’t. There […]
For National Nurses Week: Nursing School Memories (repost)
I graduated from Saginaw General Hospital’s diploma nursing program in 1969, a member of the last class. Most programs lasted three years, but this one packed all the work in two. We went year around. The hospital staffed around the students, and some of us also worked as aides on the weekends for a little […]
