A nurse by choice

"I am a nurse by choice.

At that time I was a nurse student but I was unsure about pursuing this career. There was one patient on our floor who was terminally ill and was dying of liver failure due to previous alcohol and drug abuse. Every nurse was trying to avoid him saying......."Oh ! he is such a whiner. He is such a complainer. He deserves this etc etc". As no one was eager to take him, I was given that patient. For me, he was a patient like any other patient. What he did in his life was secondary to me. I listened to him and tried to make him comfortable. I took care of him for 3 days. He died on 4th day. 2 days later, his wife came to our floor, looking for me. She told me that my husband spend last 3 days of his life with peace and dignity. He was happy. He asked me to gift you his favourite coffee mug.

I still have that coffee mug sitting in front of my desk. That day I realized, as a nurse, I do make difference in peoples' life as well as death. So I am a nurse by choice".