The Extra Mile

 

Mind if I share a quick story with you? Warning, it is a bit different than what we normally write about, but life has a way of speaking to your heart, teaching you, challenging you be better.  It stops you abruptly from the unimportant. It is in those moments, where you see through a lens that you may not have had in focus previously.   

I received a call in the middle of the night from a sweet friend of mine. She was experiencing a medical emergency with one of her 3 children. Having called emergency respondents, she needed someone to be with her children while she rode via ambulance to the nearest hospital. She must have been terrified not only because ambulance rides are not typically joy rides, but all of this was happening while her husband is currently away. I sat in her house praying and thinking about every scenario that could be happening.

Most of us are pretty lucky. I know I am. I have family close by to help when scary things happen and you need to call on the immediate help of someone. Military families on the other hand, sacrifice so much that we often take for granted. It’s not just being hours away from the support of other family members but there are also long periods of time being separated from your spouse.

So wait a minute, how is she going to get home? My friend was sans car, because she just had the most expensive one trip taxi in town take her to the hospital. Then there was another issue– no car seat for her recovering mini-human.  A few hours later I heard her come through the door. The look on her face was one of relief, exhaustion, and gratefulness. Her child was treated quickly and they were safely home. That’s not where this ends though.

Here’s where I wanted to talk about going the extra mile.

How do you think she got home? It wasn’t me. It wasn’t a nearby family member, because remember that whole military factor? It was a nurse who was on call that evening. She had overheard my friend talking to the nurse treating her child about how she needed to figure out how to get home.  

Nurses work ridiculous hours, they see things, hear things, and feel things that are heartbreaking. They then come home to their own families and lifes struggles and take on the role of nurse mom, nurse wife, nurse daughter… their job NEVER ENDS. This nurse simply overheard someone in need and said without hesitation,  “I get off at 3 am, you don’t live far from me and I have a car seat. Would you like a ride home?”

Let that sink in for a moment.

This nurse didn’t know my friend personally. It was time to clock out and get home after a long night shift. I am sure a hot shower, food, and bed were screaming her name. LOUDLY. 

Kindness. That gesture, one of kindness, is something that I am sure will never be forgotten. She drove literally one extra mile to help out a stranger in need. Dealing with years of fertility treatments myself, I have had nurses in my life who have cried along with me as they drew my blood for a beta knowing it would be negative. There are some who have sent cards, held my hand because I just needed someone to “be” with me in a quite moment of grief.  My sister is a nurse, and many family and friends are nurses. You may know a few yourself. Nurses are not in this for the money folks, they are in this because they are a special brand of human that was born with a little extra kindness in their hearts.

This week is Nurse Appreciation Week. I am also pretty sure every single nurse has a story like this one, the difference is it is not remarkable to them, it is their everyday. It is who they are. So how about we lift up the nurses in our lives. Hug them, thank them, be kind to them and if you ever have the opportunity, go the extra mile for one. <3

 

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