Stories of a Hospital Summer

Sorry blog world, it has been a while. Lots of things have happened over the past few weeks since I have written last. Tyler is still job hunting (and I am praying for him daily), just this past weekend he was a little discouraged but I reminded him (with a few scripture) that something will happen. For all you recent college grads and job hunters, here are some of the promises I gave him.


"For I know the plans I have for you...plans to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11

"In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us." Romans 8:37

All things are working ultimately together for my good, as I walk in God's purposes and His will, in love. Romans 8:28; 1 John 5:3

I have been given gifts, to glorify God. Romans 12:6; 1 Corinthians 14:1

I am able to endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 2 Timothy 2:3




My plan as of the last time I wrote was to be working between two jobs this summer. One in Jefferson City, TN at Jefferson Memorial Hospital. And the other working on a "as needed" basis as a Nurse Extern at Mercy Medical Center Main. BUT, on the last day of Extern orientation, my manager offered me a FULL TIME position at Mercy Main. "A Big Girl Job" :) So, of course I accepted. And, now here I am I have 4 weeks experience behind me as a nurse extern. And part of what I wanted to write about is some of the many things I have encountered in this journey as Nurse extern so far.



Story #1: It was nearing lunch time, and I was stressed out, and overwhelmed with the amount of patients I had that day (which is a usual feeling as soon as I enter the door, it's getting better though). I was running around like crazy trying to get baths finished up and hand out trays. I ran into this little old lady's room and she was asleep, I tapped her and asked if she wanted some lunch. She was very confused and replied, "No, that's ok, you may not have enough for all your guests, so give it to someone else." I explained that we had enough for everyone, and that we had made this meal especially for her. And, after that she gladly accepted it. But as I was opening the items on the tray she quietly grabbed my hand and looked me intently in the eye and said, "Let us Pray." She then began to pray (very loudly I might add), and there I was with my head bowed and eyes closed holding hands with a stranger and listening to her bless her hospital food. As she finished her prayer, she began to eat and ignored that I was even in the room. And as I stood there in shock over what had just happened I thought about how her obedience made a huge impact on me. God used her small act of reverence and acknowledgement to grab me, and remind me to slow down and remember that He is God, and that I am doing this for His purpose.




Story #2: I had been working at the hospital for a few weeks now, and I was already getting tired. On my way to work, I like to pray for my day. I pray for strength, and pray for God to remind me why I am there, I pray for the patients that I will have, and I pray for my co-workers (sometimes alot more than that, but those are the general few). This day, I had prayed for God to do someting "Extraordinary" at the hospital. Out of my selfish desire I dreamed up all the things that God might put in my path that day. And as I would think of a new one I would say, "yeah God, that would be awesome! Please let.... happen today." But as every Christian knows, God does not grant wishes, and he isn't in favor of selfish requests. Needless to say, nothing happened that day. However, our God is one who does things in His timing, and when they happen they are more than you could ever have imagined. So, the next day came, and as I drove to work talking to God, I was kind of disappointed that nothing had happened the day before. But, God had something in the works. For the past few days I had been taking care of a 91 year old man. He was very sweet, and you could tell he was a very hard worker. And this day, I was talking to the man and his family and discovered that they had a farm in Kodak, TN. And out of shock I said, "my grandfather has a farm in Kodak, TN." They asked what his name was and when I replied, their faces dropped. They said, "You are kidding! He is our neighbor and we just Dr. McGinnis." Small world! But the story didn't stop there, they continued by saying that the man I had been caring for and his great grandfather had owned the land my grandfather is on for the past 200 years since the Revolutionary War. I explained that I had worked there are the farm all last summer and am SO in love with that land! God knew just the thing, that extraordinary thing, that would make me acknowledge HIM, not be caught up in selfish actions. I was amazed at the timing God had put before me, and how he waited until my heart was right to reveal this story to me. And the best part is GOD got the glory! He knew all along this day would come, and it came at just the right time.




Story #3: I was caring for a woman who had been placed on "comfort care," meaning that the staff was to keep her comfortable until she died. The woman had fallen and got pneumonia from aspirating. The staff was confused as to why this woman was placed on "comfort care." Many of them were mad, because they felt as is her life could be saved, and this wasn't a sickness that called for these type of measures. And out of curiosity, I went into the room while the daughter of the woman was in there, as asked her to tell me her story. The daughter began by showing me a picture of the woman and her husband. And said, "this was before everything started." She started telling me that her mother had Alzheimer's for the past 10 years. And as the words were coming out of her mouth, I then realized why this woman was on comfort care. My heart dropped as I thought about my grandmother and my family, who will someday face this difficult decision for her. I watched this woman talk about her mother and cry as she remembered all that they had together. But, the words that stuck most deeply in my head was when she talked about her mother going to heaven. She looked at her mom, and rubbed her head and looked back at me with tears in her eyes and said, "I just can't wait for her to get her new body. And to be with the love of her life. No more hurting, no more confusion." At that point, we were both crying. And all I could think about is the hurt in this world, some caused by diseases. And, the promise that we have in Heaven, where we will get a new body, and for those with Alzheimer's they won't be confused anymore. They will have overcome all the things they have forgotten. They will be physically able to do what they want. All the way home, I cried, and I thought about these things especially in relation to my grandmother. I kept thinking as I was driving, I want to here the song "Fail us Not" by 1000 Generations. Because this is the ultimate picture of our victory through Christ, and how awesome our God is in comparison to human emotion. And immediatly as the thought finished in my mind, God knew what I needed before I knew what I need (or even wanted) and the song began to play on the radio.

Failure doesn't phase you.
Worry doesn't win.
Lost doesn't leave you afraid to start again.
Our sin doesn't shock you.
Our shame doesn't shame you at all.
Mistakes do not move you.
Terror doesn't tame.
Death doesn't doom you to life in the grave.
Our suffering doesn't scare you.
Our secrets won't surprise you at all.
At all.

There is nothing above you.
There is nothing beyond you.
There is nothing that you can't do.
There is no one beside you.
There is no one that's like you.
There is nothing that you can't do.
Whatever will come, we'll rise above.
You fail us not, You fail us not.
No matter the war, our hope is secure.
You fail us not, You fail us not.
You fail us not.

Hatred doesn't hide you.
Evil doesn't ail.
Despair can't disguise you and tell you that you fail.
Our doubt doesn't daunt you.
Our darkness won't defeat you at all.
At all.

The tears came even harder because of my shock of how small and big God can be all the same time. To run rule the universe, but give me my most simple desire at 3:00 on a Thursday afternoon.

Paul writes in Phillipians about our transformation in heaven, and encourages us to remember that we are citizens there, and not of this world. He wrote, "But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body." Phil. 3:20-21



Picture of my mom's family, and my grandmother before Alzheimer's.


Of all the disease and sickness I see on a daily basis with my job, it is important to remember that God is in control, and that as Christians we will go to a place where all of the dark ways of the world will be cast away, and we will receive a NEW body, a healthy one! And the best part, we finally get to see JESUS! And I don't know about you, but when you have waited a long time to see someone you love very much, it is the best feeling to finally be face to face!