Nurse Gary Log: Day 87.
Final surgery to remove metal brackets from jawbone; successful. My patient is in good spirits; sore, but she is smiling - next up, dental reconstruction. Thanks to ‘the 3 men I admire the most'.. or women, you know who you are.
After the surgery, I thanked the surgeon for saving my patient’s life over the last 3 months, from that first night in the ER and trauma ward, through multiple surgeries, rehabilitation to now. We had gotten to know each other over those long days and nights. I personally saw how hard he worked, devoted to his patients and his work, so I offered a private guided fly-fishing trip with me in RMNP as we left today, as partial thanks. He looked at spouse and said, “Is he serious?”
Spouse smiled, When you think he’s serious, he’s joking. We you think he’s joking, he’s serious. Trust me, two things he never jokes about are music and fly-fishing.
“Ok, if you're serious, I’m in. I love to fish, but never have time. No one has every offered me that before. But don't have gear, flies, a rod, waders..”
Me: I’ll take care of that. Pick a day. Meet me at the visitors center at the entrance to RMNP, 7:30 am. Leave your cell phone, it won't work anyway where we are going.
It’s think it’s good to have friends in high places.. especially those who can save your life. I also think that when you owe someone a debt, you should pay it forward. And if one more person, saving lives every day, has a chance clear their mind and scare some fish in the backwoods along the continental divide, that has to be therapeutic.
Who knows, maybe even my patient will join us for our spiritual journey. It’s been a while since she and I took a hike together and smelled the roses; we are due.
And as John Muir said, “In every walk with nature, one receives far more that he seeks.” JM was right..
Final surgery to remove metal brackets from jawbone; successful. My patient is in good spirits; sore, but she is smiling - next up, dental reconstruction. Thanks to ‘the 3 men I admire the most'.. or women, you know who you are.
After the surgery, I thanked the surgeon for saving my patient’s life over the last 3 months, from that first night in the ER and trauma ward, through multiple surgeries, rehabilitation to now. We had gotten to know each other over those long days and nights. I personally saw how hard he worked, devoted to his patients and his work, so I offered a private guided fly-fishing trip with me in RMNP as we left today, as partial thanks. He looked at spouse and said, “Is he serious?”
Spouse smiled, When you think he’s serious, he’s joking. We you think he’s joking, he’s serious. Trust me, two things he never jokes about are music and fly-fishing.
“Ok, if you're serious, I’m in. I love to fish, but never have time. No one has every offered me that before. But don't have gear, flies, a rod, waders..”
Me: I’ll take care of that. Pick a day. Meet me at the visitors center at the entrance to RMNP, 7:30 am. Leave your cell phone, it won't work anyway where we are going.
It’s think it’s good to have friends in high places.. especially those who can save your life. I also think that when you owe someone a debt, you should pay it forward. And if one more person, saving lives every day, has a chance clear their mind and scare some fish in the backwoods along the continental divide, that has to be therapeutic.
Who knows, maybe even my patient will join us for our spiritual journey. It’s been a while since she and I took a hike together and smelled the roses; we are due.
And as John Muir said, “In every walk with nature, one receives far more that he seeks.” JM was right..
