bday challenge.

I woke up early to start the day right and to prepare myself for the first day of my practicum. I should be happy and thankful because after all the hassle and stress that I’ve been through just to be able to continue with this, finally here I am on my first day.

It was one of those days wherein I expected everything to be running smoothly for all of us especially for me since it is my birthday. This day should be special. I should be treated special. I was telling myself that nothing could go wrong and that everyone should be very friendly with me because it is my day but unfortunately they don’t know it and even if they knew, they wouldn’t care. In reality, people are not always the same and that they are not always there to help.  The fact that they don’t know me at all; expecting all the staff there will make everything easy for me should be the least of my concern.

I am a total stranger in that place. They just saw me for the first time and probably they just see me as a student who keeps on disturbing them in their busy working hours just for the sake of completing my requirements. Learning from what our preceptor told us, the bottom line is that I should not expect anyone else to make things easy for me. I need to have that initiative to help myself in anyway because no one else will. I was still indeed thankful to some of the staff who was gladly assisting us in anyway in spite of their toxic duty.

Cardiac patients should have that same initiative, for them to be able to change their unhealthy ways. They need to help themselves in order to live longer. I remembered the reaction of one of the patient we observed during stress testing, after hearing that the result is positive her face went blank. After the doctor explained everything, probably knew that she really needs to change her lifestyle and that she needs to embrace those changes in order start saving her life. No matter how helpful and supportive her family and friends would be if she doesn't possess that initiative to change and help herself, it would be useless and all efforts will be put to waste.

Initiating change in one’s lifestyle will require a lot of emotional strength and discipline, first in the part of the person involve as well as to the family.  As a nurse, I guess I should have that enough patience to constantly remind them about what they need to do and what they need to change in order for them to have the strength and initiative to help themselves.

-Charo Adame-