Words of Wisdom from Patients...

   In the ICU, we have good days & bad days. Sometimes patients get better, sometimes they don't. Sometimes we can anticipate how we think things will ultimately turn out & sometimes we are completely surprised. Sometimes we get attached to families & sometimes we want to rescue our patients from their families. Sometimes we get sweet little old patients & sometimes we get the most ungrateful of patients. Sometimes we get patients who are determined to get well & sometimes we get patients who just feel sorry for themselves & feel defeated. 

   Last week, I had the sweetest patient. She was so humble & after everything I did, she said, 'thank you, baby.' I mean after everything...no matter if I gave her meds, turned her TV on, shut her door, or told her she had to use the bed pan instead of getting out of bed! I told her she was the most gracious person that I had ever met & what she said back hit me like a ton of bricks. She said, 'Baby, people don't have to do the things they do for you. The least you could do is have a grateful heart.' WOW!! Such simple words with so much meaning! 

   We also had another patient in an unfortunate situation. One of his family members wrote a note on the back of a picture, 'Get bitter or get better. It's your choice!' More simple words with so much meaning! 

   What I have gathered from a couple of our patients over the past week is to be grateful, always say thank you, and your outlook on life is what you make it!!!

"Choosing to be positive & having a grateful attitude is going to determine how you're going to live your life!" -J.O.