The Nurse Who Never Left My Side
(By Kanya Intachat)
I had a fear for nurses since young. All I imagined was, how two nurses chased me around in a small room at a clinic to give me an injection. I had my mum on the other side. I cried and cried pleading them to throw the needle away! They were scarier than doctors! I was 5 years old at that time and my perception changed 22 years ago when I realized that Nurses are angels without wings, the assets of healthcare, to which their care, compassion and comfort, brings healing to their patients are beyond prescription.
Back in 1994, a nurse named Maria was by my bedside day and night, caring for me, due injuries in my head after an accident which occurred at the Juru highway. I was only 15, and it was the Chinese New Year Holidays. A rainy afternoon, I was left unconscious, occasionally waking up to the crying voice of my mother. Rainwater was being splashed to my face to keep me awake, but my eyes kept on closing. That is all I know.
At the hospital, I heard voices. Blurry images of doctors and nurses could be seen and I knew from that moment onward, I was in the Operation Theater. I was admitted for a 24 hours observation at the hospital. As I was sent to the ward, an Indian nurse by the name of Maria welcomed me with a pleasant smile. She helped me to my bed and with medication in her hand. She had informed me that she will be working the night shift, and if I needed any assistance, never insist on calling her. I asked her what had happened. She told me that I had met with an accident and had 33 stitches in my head.
I cried and asked for my cousins and mum. She informed me that my mum is ok and one of my cousins was also admitted for observation. As I continued crying, she held me and said, ‘you are ok. Thank the Lord that nothing had happened to you.” She calmed me down and provided me with the medication and told me to get some rest.
Somewhere in the middle of the night, I woke up in pain and was not able to sleep. I needed to go to the toilet badly and I called out to her as the table was nearby. She assisted me immediately. As I stepped into the toilet, I saw myself in the mirror. My head being bandaged with one side of my hair shaved to make it easier for the doctors to stitch the wound. I broke down, this time crying continuously. She held me, calmed me down, wiped my face and hugged me, whispering, “Its OK. Let’s get you back to bed.”
The next morning, I felt someone near my bed and I immediately woke up thinking it was Nurse Maria. It was a different nurse. I asked for her and the nurse said that she has gone home. A few minutes later, the doctors came and informed me that I will be discharged. I needed to return after two weeks to check on the wound. I left the hospital with my mum, uncle and cousins. I didn’t have the chance to say goodbye to her but till today she is still in my heart and mind. I wrote a note which said “Thank you nurse Maria. God Bless You. I will never forget you.” and left it with a nurse to pass it to her. I am not sure if she had received the note, but I know she is somewhere out there and I pray that she will be blessed for the goodwill. From that moment, I knew that I judged them wrong. Their warm tender loving care brings smile and healing to all their patients.
Today, I am proud to say that my job involves nurses. I see them walking in every day into Melorita to apply for an international nursing job in Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Bahrain, USA, Ireland, Australia, Singapore, Brunei and even here in Malaysia. I remembered once when my mother told me that she wanted to be a nurse but only being stopped by her parents and ended up being a teacher, I tell her every day, “Mom, you should have. They have the best opportunities to take their career internationally!”. It’s never too late for me to send out this message and surely this will be an advice to all my friends who decide to take up nursing as their career. To go for it and never turn back!