A story was once told of a nurse who took a tired and anxious-appearing serviceman to the bedside of an older gentleman. The nurse spoke to the old man and said, "Your son is here." She repeated these words several times before the old man, who was her patient, opened his eyes. He was heavily sedated because of the pain he was having after his recent heart attack. The patient dimly saw the young uniformed Marine standing outside his oxygen tent. He reached out his hand and the Marine wrapped his toughened fingers around the old man's limp ones squeezing a message of love and encouragement.
The serviceman pulled up a chair so he could sit beside the bed, and he sat all through the night. The ward was poorly lit, but he held the old man's hand and offered him words of love and strength. The nurse would occasionally suggest that the Marine move away and rest awhile, but he refused. The Marine appeared to be oblivious of the nurse coming and going into the ward, the laughter of staff members exchanging greetings, the night noises of the hospital such as the clanking of the oxygen tank, or the cries and moans of the other patients. The nurse would now and then hear the Marine saying gentle words to the dying old man, who said nothing, but held tightly to his son all through the night.
As the sun was rising the next day, the old man died. The Marine released the now lifeless hand of the old man and went to tell his nurse. He waited while she went to the patient's side. When she returned, she spoke words of sympathy to the Marine, but he stopped her and asked, "who was that man?" This surprised the nurse and she said, "He was your father." The Marine replied, "no he wasn't, I have never seen him before in my life." The nurse asked him why he did not say anything when she took him to the old man. The Marine explained he knew it was a mistake right away, but he also knew the old man needed his son who was not there. The Marine realized how sick the patient was when he did not know the Marine was not his son, and knowing how much the old man needed him, the Marine had stayed. The Marine went on to tell the nurse that he had come to find a Mr. Bill Gray whose son was killed in Iraq that day and he had been sent to inform him. The nurse stared at the Marine and then with tears in her eyes informed him that the old man who had died was Mr. Bill Gray.
My take-home message to each of you is to remember that one word, one action, one loving thought can reduce another person's suffering and bring him or her peace and happiness. We as plastic surgery nurses are not human beings going through a temporary spiritual experience, but we are spiritual beings going through a temporary human experience. The next time a patient, friend, or family member needs you, just be there. Stay!