In Memorium

What if your doctor told you that you had 3 months to live? What would you do in the time you had left? My patient faced that challenge. I visited with her several times a week. Each time we met we were very much aware of the ticking clock. She needed time to work through [...]

What’s in My Bag

In Cherry Ames Visiting Nurse, Cherry shares her excitement about getting her first nurse’s bag. She unpacks and packs it’s contents so everything is just right before she goes out for her first visit. Maybe it had the kinds of things in it that was common to the a nurse’s bag in the 1950’s. Things like [...]

My Disclaimer

I would love to tell real stories about real people but respecting my patient’s confidentiality is an absolute must. So here is my disclaimer….the people I write about are not real people. I protect my patient’s identity by creating composites of people I know. Even pets are disguised so any connection to a real patient is only [...]

Create Serendipity with a Cat or a Dog

I see Muffin, Tyler, and Bigelow every week. Muffin lives in a small house on the south side of town. Tyler and Bigelow live together in a new condo. Tyler and Bigelow love to wait at the door for me. I know I can always count on an exhuberant greeting from them. Muffin is shyer. [...]

Invent Me a Bathroom Scale

Every time I weigh an elderly person at home I wonder why bathroom scale manufacturers don’t make a scale my patients can navigate safely. If it is a digital scale they can’t get on it quick enough. By the time they steady themself on the scale and let go of their walker, the scale gives [...]

Making a Difference

I’ve been an oncology research nurse, an IV Therapy nurse, an emergency nurse, and a critical care nurse. I’ve managed a large emergency department staff and I’ve managed a small office staff. I’ve sat in a cubicle reviewing medical records for an insurance company. Like many nurses, there have been times when I’ve dreamed of leaving [...]