亲爱的护理人员们：
这篇文章并不轻松。因为医疗保健从来就不是轻松的。
今年早些时候，我母亲因脑动脉瘤突然破裂住院。您可以在这里阅读有关她住院经历的一些内容。上周，她出院回家了。
她回家仅仅两天后，我发现她下了床，坐在地上。她尿湿了裤子。而那根原本应该留在她胃里，帮助她重新学习安全吞咽的喂食管呢？竟然放在她的枕头旁边。
事发前，我父亲去了趟洗手间，只过了两分钟。幸运的是，她没事——作为一名肠胃科医生，我知道该如何处理喂食管（在开口闭合前尽快给她换一根新的）！
照顾一个无法自理的人的日常起居并不容易。这是我们亲身经历后得出的结论。
我写这封信是为了表达我的感激之情。感谢医院里所有照顾过我妈妈的医护人员。我们医生在不了解情况的时候，有时会称你们为“辅助人员”。我以后再也不会这么说了。你们绝不是辅助人员。
每天清晨迎接妈妈的到来，对你来说都是神圣的仪式。你要做的就是吸出她嘴里一夜之间积聚的污垢。
对你来说，在她需要上厕所时扶她下床，在她弄脏自己时帮她清理干净，是一件神圣的事情。
对你来说，每天通过那根管子喂她喝我提供的果蔬汁，是件神圣的事。那些果蔬汁是用她生病前亲手种下的蔬菜做的。你还要防止她把管子拔出来。
每天帮助她活动四肢和身体，恢复体力，这对你来说是一件神圣的事情。还要帮她在床上翻身，防止褥疮。
唱歌给她听是一种神圣的行为，这样音乐的力量就能治愈她。让她发出尖叫声，这样她才能再次吞咽。
当你开始像印度文化中那样称呼她“阿姨”，当你为她梳理残存的头发，当你因为她让你想起自己的母亲而称呼她“妈妈”，当你把她从床上抱起来让她靠在你身上，当你尊重我们对隐私的愿望，当你因为我拒绝穿没有实际感染需要控制的感染控制服而拒绝把我赶出房间，当你给我们毯子让我们在冰冷的ICU病房里保暖，当你让我哥哥偷偷把他的两个小儿子带进ICU，因为他不确定他们是否还能再见到活着的奶奶……这些都是神圣的举动。
当你晚上哄她入睡，祝她一切安好——仿佛她完全清醒，即使在昏迷中也能听到……那是神圣的。
作为我母亲医疗保健的一部分，许多医生都给她做过多次血液检查、X光检查和各种治疗。您也同样参与了她的医疗保健工作。
当我们面临着在家照顾母亲，就像您在医院里照顾她一样的挑战时，我有一个愿望。我希望，当您将海量无用的数据录入病人的电子病历时——这些数据主要服务于我们的医疗法律和医疗计费产业，而不是病人——屏幕上能弹出一个窗口。这个窗口不会增加那些对病人护理有害的医疗噪音。不，这个窗口只是想表达我的谢意，来自像我这样的人，对您这样的人。感谢您日复一日所做的神圣工作。这些看似平凡的工作，却意义非凡。
怀着深深的感激之情，
维努·朱拉帕利博士
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As an RN for 40 years in acute care settings, it is a breath of fresh air to read these words from an MD who has experienced what nursing is all about in such a personal way. I am a holistic nurse with a private practice now in Bend, OR. (www.bridgesoftheheart.com) My passion is to bridge Energy Medicine with Mainstream Medicine. I spoke to the first year nursing students at our local college the other day and would have loved to share this powerful testimony with them. I may just send to the instructor and have her read it. Thank you Dr. Julapalli for pouring your heart and soul out to the world. Nursing is misunderstood by so many, especially the MD's who work so closely with them. This reminds me of the movie "The Doctor" with William Hurt, where a self-centered MD develops a life-threatening disease and gets to see life from the patients view...a must see for all who work in medicine.
[Hide Full Comment]agree with the saying
Dear Venu, This letter of gratitude that you wrote for the people who took care of your mom, reminds of the one that I didn't write... to all the people who took care of me when I had my son. In my heart I thanked them but I wish I had let them know how grateful I was for everything they did for me and my baby. I remember a nurse crying with me when my doctor told me that I should stop pushing & have a C-section, it was the right thing to do but I was so shattered. They must have thought I took it all for granted but I didn't. I wish I had told them so....
Lovely that you finally recognize the holy contributions of the most of the healthcare team. What kept you from engaging the chaplain, whose team role it is to journey with you as you search for the purpose and meaning you sought/seek?
Thank you for recognizing the Sacredness in what caregivers share and do. <3 Beautifully stated. May ALL recognize there are no "ancillary personnel" Every person who provides care matters so very much and contributes deeply to well being. <3
Sacred indeed -- humanity is always sacred though we may be repulsed by outward appearances. In our own family of health practitioners and aging elders, we know this Truth in mind, heart and soul. }:- ❤️