Thank you both for your service. It can’t be easy for either of you.
I think we should plan a parade to celebrate all these brave souls when this is behind us. Your daughter will be sitting on the float as we cheer her selfless act.
My oldest can’t continue her nursing education because her college is closed. She’s gotten far enough to take the nurses aide test, but hasn’t because pharmacy tech s make more. She’s now considering taking the test “for duty and humanity,” but I think Gov Pritzker will override that requirement
dropzone, hopefully your daughter can pick back up her studies “when this is over”.
After seeing what my daughter went through in her coursework for her BSN, I gained a tremendous respect for her intellect and for all RNs. I consider myself reasonably smart (top 10% of high school), and I KNOW current-me couldn’t possibly do it…and I’d have concerns that younger me could do it as well. For some written tests, if you miss ONE question, you’re out - as in, kicked out of the program. I can’t imagine that pressure.
Kudos to you and your daughter Raza. My wife spent about four months in a cancer ward as a patient and, as a result, I’m not sure if there’s a profession I respect more than nursing. Every day (and especially every night) there were just a few very young-looking people with more responsibility in their shift than most people will have in their entire lives. It’s absolutely mind-boggling.
Thank you for the comment, velomont. Over the years she has told me stories that really tear at me, such as a young bride-to-be suddenly fainting, unresponsive; brought to ICU, put on ECMO, still unresponsive; wedding gifts arriving that had been sent earlier; my daughter, when asked if she will pull through, simply says “there’s always hope”, knowing their daughter is dead, but waiting for the family to come to that realization themselves, in their own time. And then consoling them.
When I was in law enforcement, I sometimes had to deliver very bad news; but I got to walk away. She can’t.
My neice is a nurse and her mother, my sister, is worried sick. Literally. She does not look well. I suspect there will be lots of anxiety related illnesses as a result of this crazy situation.
I’m having my daughter text me her temperature every morning. It’s a little silly, but she should be doing it anyway, given her exposure, and it gives me a bit of comfort.
A couple days ago my daughter stopped at a grocery store at the end of her 3-day set, and picked up - among other things - a couple of bottles of wine. She was wearing a generic shirt, but had on clean scrub pants she had changed into before leaving the hospital. At checkout:
Clerk, in a low voice: are you a nurse?
Daughter, a bit uncertain where this is going: yes…
Clerk: thank you for what you’re doing. I only charged you half-price for the wine.
Her (adult) neighbor drew her a really nice picture, and repeated a phrase becoming more common: Not all super heroes wear capes. It’s all very sweet and appreciated.