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I wrote this poem to express my gratitude to the scores of nurses who have enabled me to live so long (70 years thus far) under frequent and sometimes critical medical procedures and several hospitalizations. But I’ve written this for all nurses, for they all qualify as far as I’m concerned!
Nurses Extolled
The visiting nurse is supposed to come today.
We all wondered if she would.
She hasn’t been late so far;
But I guess maybe she could.
Not all of us are really bad sick, you see,
But we need her just the same;
To listen to our troubles and help take away some pain.
Another day to chat about meds and
What we may have to pay.
And tell her we will take our pills, just as she will say.
A challenged child in a wheelchair is awed by her charm and skill.
Awaiting his turn, hoping she has a little time to kill.
Who is this nurturer in blue
With the big smile and ponytail?
Why does she care about the old, the sick, the frail?
Because she is an angel,
that’s easy to see,
Who is compelled by her heart
to take care of you and me.
Some day she’ll go back to heaven,
If there is such a place.
Where people are not numbers and each has a face!
My story
Many medical professionals are responsible for my having survived 20 years through a heart attack, heart transplant and several subsequent hospitalizations (I’ve had a total of nine surgeries). Without nurses, the process of saving lives would immediately come to a crawl, at best, and the incentive to get better, recover and survive for most patients in the preparation and aftermath of hospital stays and medical procedures would be impossible.
As a result of great medical advances and the nurses who implement most of them, I’ve actually lived a mostly healthy and enjoyable life, and have lived to see my four children and two stepchildren grow up and have children of their own. I’ve been recently decried by doctors as a “medical marvel” and “medical miracle” as I’m physically active and feel good most days. I even play basketball with some of the children!
I felt compelled to express my gratitude in a special way so that others might think about the “nurturers” of the ill. Thank you, nurses.
Written by Allen C. McKinzie, Rimrock, Ariz.
