Today, I am proud to say that I made a lot of people cry.
This isn't normally a good thing, but today it certainly was. And I am truly, truly humbled
Today at the hospital started out like the usual. The moment walked in I was told we had a dismissal so I went on that, then cleaned some charts, picked up and delivered a flower arrangement, went hunting for some wipes up at SPAR [Surgical Prep and Recovery] when we ran out, brought charts back to chart prep (and picked up a whole cart more of them, joy!!), and ate PowerBars and popcorn with my fellow JV Nicole when everyone else left to deliver six (!!) flower arrangements to someone from the gift shop. At around three the volunteer coordinator came over and asked if any of us wanted to go caroling with the chaplain and a couple of other people. That got my attention, and I hastily volunteered (and was the only) one. My motivation at first was just to stop cleaning charts and go do something fun and different, and I went and caught up with them when they were walking by.
I had heard of Chaplain Ben before, from when my mom's friend had surgery at Saint Al's and while getting prepped for surgery, Pastor Ben was going around with his guitar singing songs to people and having a grand time. She described him as a very friendly Asian man with an accent and told us that he came over to her and sang "You are my Sunshine", and she was tickled pink and told us he was probably the highlight of her hospital stay. Today he was wearing a Santa had and carrying a guitar, and I met him and two other ladies who were very Christmas-y and decked out in red, carrying a maraca and a string of bells. They were very excited that I was join them, and asked me if I sang (not really very well but I enjoyed being in choirs) and where I went to school, etc. Wearing my usual uniform of khakis, white collared shirt, sage-green scrub top/smock thingy and my badge, I looked 100% non-Christmasy (I think I'm just making up words here, but you get what I mean), so we stopped by the volunteer office and I grabbed one of the few Santa hats laying around in a drawer.
Our first stop was on one of the two rehab floors in the south tower, and went straight to a lady's room (I'm not sure if some of the people had been contacted beforehand if they were okay with us caroling to them or not, or if he already knew them, or what, but our first person was happy to see us). We sang "Silver Bells", "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas", and exited with "Feliz Navidad". We went down the hallway humming (with Chaplain Ben humming and accompanying us with his guitar) "Silent Night" and came to a common area where a few patients were sitting and started jamming out to "Feliz Navidad" and other fun songs, having a good time. Another few people came out of their rooms to hear us sing, and the janitor and a few nurses stopped what they were doing to watch. As we were leaving a lady called for us, having missed our singing, and asked if we could go over to her and sing something for her. We sang and brought such a smile to her face. Her husband recorded us and as we were leaving both thanked us profusely. We sang "Little Drummer Boy" to a gentleman in his room, and left to go to the central tower.
On our way to the ICU, one of the ladies asked me what I was planning to do after I graduated, and told them I was going to hopefully get into BSU or CWI for nursing,
Facebook status: (I'm getting really lazy so I'm just going to copy this from FB... I apologize for my laziness. Though I'm really not sorry... :) )
I am so humbled right now. Today during my shift at Saint Alphonsus I
was able to go around with Chaplain Ben, his guitar, and two other
ladies singing Christmas songs and bringing joy and comfort to patients
throughout the hospital. This past week I've been so focused on only my
problems and caught up with all of the things going on with me, so today
being a part of that experience has helped make me realize that there
are so many people out there who are suffering and going
to be in the hospital for Christmas, and that I should count my
blessings more and appreciate my health and what I have. Singing to
patients in the ICU and CICU, rehab floors, general surgical unit, etc.,
while at many times was very sobering, probably made my entire month,
and being able to maybe ease their suffering a little was worth every
minute, even if I spent half an hour more than my normal shift doing it.
Whether we were singing to someone just recovering from surgery or to
someone in the CICU who was very, very ill, I could feel the spirit of
Christmas and most importantly the spirit of Christ. We made patients,
nurses, and family members alike cry singing "Silent Night", "I'm
Dreaming of a White Christmas" and "May the Lord Mighty God" (to the
tune of Edelweiss) and brought smiles to the faces of many singing
"Feliz Navidad" and "Silverbells". One of the best afternoons I've had
in a VERY long time, even though I'm sure I looked very funny in my
uniform and sage-green scrub top, badge, and a red Santa hat-
[This post isn't finished, but I don't know if I'll be around to finish it, so I thought I might as well publish it now... I'm sorry. The rest of the story really is great, amazing, touching. But I can't finish. If plans change and I am around longer, I'll probably end up finishing this, but if you're reading this, it didn't happen. Sorry.......]
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