“All who are weary and burdened, come to Me and I will give you rest." ~ Matthew 11:28
Every day, nurses take the words
from the Florence Nightingale Oath to heart, “devote myself to the welfare of
those committed to my care.” Some take
that commitment a step further.
It’s an all-too-common tale.
When an elderly man was hospitalized with COVID 3 weeks before Christmas,
he had no choice but to surrender his beloved pup to a local shelter. Depressed and terrified, he phoned his friend
Jennifer.
Nurse Jennifer had formed a
friendship with John at the adult daycare program where she worked. It allowed John to socialize with others and
receive medical care while continuing to live in his own home. She knew all about Boomer.
John often spoke about Boomer and delighted in sharing cute
pictures of his 12-year-old shaggy sidekick. Jennifer clearly understood their bond; she
had her own lifelong K-9 cohort.
After several frantic calls, Jennifer took an early lunch
and drove to the shelter where she found little Boomer in a large cage in the
back. Deep sadness leaked from both
eyes. “Without lifting his head from
between his paws, the adorable pup gazed up and completely broke my heart,” she
said.
She adopted Boomer on the spot. His grief ticked up a notch to melancholy; but
far from pure joy. Soon Boomer was home
making friends with Jennifer’s own dog.
Jennifer called John to let him
know that she and her family adopted his pup to give him a home while he
recovered. She Facetimed John daily to
share updates about Boomer and his adventures; he got plenty of love, scratches,
and treats. Knowing that his fur baby
was in loving hands instantly boosted John’s recovery.
Eventually, John was released to the rehab wing of the
hospital. To celebrate his recovery,
Jennifer dressed Boomer in some Christmas pajamas and when they rounded the
corner, John shed the tears of a cleansing rain as he reached for his furry pal.
Others on hand wept too.
Jennifer now brings Boomer to work with her. She takes him up to John’s room a couple of
times a day. The other residents love
Boomer, too. John is proud to share
Boomer as they take laps together in his wheelchair inspiring others with
smiles and puppy kisses.
"Seeing them together again was the only Christmas
present I needed,” beamed Jennifer. God
bless her!
Great Physician, thank You
for giving us wonderful caretakers with beautiful souls. Comfort them and keep them well. Give them the strength to care for those who
are sick and dying as well as the strength to receive help from others. Amen
