Lippincott NursingCenter.com is partnering with Lippincott Solutions to bring you an inspired nurse’s story every month. Here is the October 2018 inspired nurse story, You Saved My Life.
 
You Saved My Life
Grace Eisen
Nursing Faculty
Mid Michigan Community College
 
Woman’s health, particularly breast care, is of special interest to me having had two sisters-in-law who have survived. Working in the woman’s health area for several years and a member of the breast care team, I attended a program about breast cancer in my home community. The mother of one of my children’s classmates was sitting next to me. When the breast model was available to practice palpating breast masses, it was obvious that she didn’t know how to do a self-exam. I taught her the proper technique after she told me she thought going to the doctor once a year was enough. Of course, I didn’t realize at the time how this simple action would touch me or my role as a nurse so deeply.

“You saved my life” are powerful words considering I never worked in a critical care area, yet I heard those words less than two months later from that same woman when we met again in the grocery store. The evening of the presentation, she did a self-exam and found a breast mass, had a mastectomy and was starting chemotherapy. We have since celebrated several of children’s milestones including graduations, marriages, and each becoming grandmothers, while I also celebrate my role as a nurse each and every time I see this remarkable woman.