Hope Is The Only Word That Matters
"To cherish a desire with anticipation" Webster's Dictionary.
I've been an Oncology Nurse for over 17 years. People ask me all the time "how can you stand your job" or they comment that "it must be hard" and "I couldn't do it". I love my job and I love my patients. What people don't realize is that it's an honor to be a nurse and especially an Oncology Nurse. I live with hope every day.
"If we want to create hope for the person ....we must give hope, always hope." Mother Teresa
The most important word on the first visit is hope. Sometimes it's the only word they hear. It's absolutely the word they most want to hear. People hope their doctor is good. They hope they live through the surgery and they hope their cancer is treatable. They hope they can tolerate the chemotherapy and especially hope that they don't vomit. They hope I can find a vein easily for the IV and that I know what I'm doing. They hope they can afford it financially and that they or their loved one doesn't lose their job. Mostly they just hope for survival. I'm no different. When every new patient comes in for the first time, I hope for the same things.
"A gift we can offer others is so simple a thing as hope." Daniel Berrigan
As time progresses, people dare to hope for new things. They hope for a cure. They hope their families stop nagging them to eat and drink. They hope for nice full hair, eyelashes and eyebrows. They hope the neuropathy or some of the side effects go away. It's no longer just survival they hope for, they want their life back.
"Hope is a thing with feathers that perches in the soul and sings the tune without words and never stops at all". Emily Dickinson
For some, cancer becomes a chronic disease and before it eventually takes their life, they hope for a long remission and many more years. They hope for a life worth living with few side effects of the disease and/or the treatments. They hope to live long enough for grandchildren, for weddings, or for a trip of a lifetime. They hope to complete their "bucket list". Dying of old age becomes an unrealistic hope.
"My hopes are not always realized, but I always hope." Ovid
Sadly not everyone survives Cancer. Toward the end people continue to hope, but they hope for different things. They hope their families will be ok. They hope the end is peaceful and they hope it is without pain. They hope that God is there for them and with them. Some hope for it to be quick and some hope for it to be prolonged so they can experience one last thing. They hope someone is holding their hand as they pass. My hopes are the same. With peace comes release, and I hope it's peaceful and painless. And I hope their families learn from their loved one's life and mostly, I don't want them to lose their hope.
This is an essay I wrote recently to go with a piece of artwork for Oncology On Canvas sponsored by Lilly Oncology. Go to www.LillyOncologyOnCanvas.com for more information. Anne
I've been an Oncology Nurse for over 17 years. People ask me all the time "how can you stand your job" or they comment that "it must be hard" and "I couldn't do it". I love my job and I love my patients. What people don't realize is that it's an honor to be a nurse and especially an Oncology Nurse. I live with hope every day.
"If we want to create hope for the person ....we must give hope, always hope." Mother Teresa
The most important word on the first visit is hope. Sometimes it's the only word they hear. It's absolutely the word they most want to hear. People hope their doctor is good. They hope they live through the surgery and they hope their cancer is treatable. They hope they can tolerate the chemotherapy and especially hope that they don't vomit. They hope I can find a vein easily for the IV and that I know what I'm doing. They hope they can afford it financially and that they or their loved one doesn't lose their job. Mostly they just hope for survival. I'm no different. When every new patient comes in for the first time, I hope for the same things.
"A gift we can offer others is so simple a thing as hope." Daniel Berrigan
As time progresses, people dare to hope for new things. They hope for a cure. They hope their families stop nagging them to eat and drink. They hope for nice full hair, eyelashes and eyebrows. They hope the neuropathy or some of the side effects go away. It's no longer just survival they hope for, they want their life back.
"Hope is a thing with feathers that perches in the soul and sings the tune without words and never stops at all". Emily Dickinson
For some, cancer becomes a chronic disease and before it eventually takes their life, they hope for a long remission and many more years. They hope for a life worth living with few side effects of the disease and/or the treatments. They hope to live long enough for grandchildren, for weddings, or for a trip of a lifetime. They hope to complete their "bucket list". Dying of old age becomes an unrealistic hope.
"My hopes are not always realized, but I always hope." Ovid
Sadly not everyone survives Cancer. Toward the end people continue to hope, but they hope for different things. They hope their families will be ok. They hope the end is peaceful and they hope it is without pain. They hope that God is there for them and with them. Some hope for it to be quick and some hope for it to be prolonged so they can experience one last thing. They hope someone is holding their hand as they pass. My hopes are the same. With peace comes release, and I hope it's peaceful and painless. And I hope their families learn from their loved one's life and mostly, I don't want them to lose their hope.
This is an essay I wrote recently to go with a piece of artwork for Oncology On Canvas sponsored by Lilly Oncology. Go to www.LillyOncologyOnCanvas.com for more information. Anne
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