I’m not a nurse.
I never chose to be, and I don’t have the skills or the patience for it. However, I’m getting the impression that God has different plans for me.
I’m married to a wonderful man, a top-notch father and life partner. We’ve been together a long time. But one thing that I came to know about him very early on is: he needs a full-time nurse.
Within a few months of beginning our relationship, he suffered a number of nocturnal seizures. He went through a series of MRI’s, blood tests and ultimately a celebral angiogram to get to the bottom of the source of his seizures.
A few years after we married, his lumber spine was so painful that he underwent a lumbarectomy. The surgeon described it this way: “Your vertebra is like a crab cake. As it disintegrates, the crab meat sticks out and pokes into surrounding nerves, causing pain. We have to go in and trim it up again.” They ended up doing the same surgery three times over the next twenty-five years.
My husband has experienced many other physical conditions over the 35 years I’ve known him, but the last three years have been particularly challenging for us both:
- 2020 he had a heart attack and five stents inserted to open his clogged arteries
- 2021 he was diagnosed with Parkinsons Disease
- 2022 he had a toe amputated due to a severe staph infection, followed by a bout of COVID while he was in recovery (which he passed to me).
If the guy didn’t have bad luck, he wouldn’t have any at all. And I’ll add ironically that since I’ve known him, I’ve only had one outpatient surgery that his mother happened to be in town for, so she played nursemaid to me. Proving that God doesn’t have nursing plans for HIM.
Over the years I’ve developed nursing skills out of sheer necessity: I sat by his side, holding his hand, comforting him and praying for healing. I’ve tracked his medicines and given him a reminder when it’s time to take one. I’ve learned to wrap and bandage wounds. I’ve researched what to do and not to do when recovering. I’ve taken his temperature and blood pressure. And I’ve done a ton of running around while he’s laid up – fetching him something to drink, something to eat, visiting the drug store for essentials, etc.
Often when he’s sick or in recovery from a procedure, he’ll ask me things that I have no answer for, because I don’t have a medical degree. In the last few months, I’ve used my stock answer, “I don’t know. I’m not a nurse,” or “You should’ve married a nurse” more times than I can count.
Playing a nurse throughout my marriage makes me really appreciate and respect actual nurses who choose to take care of others every day, people they don’t even know, but who need a nurse’s kind touch and healing skills. It’s not easy being a nurse! It takes patience and love and more often than not, the patient is not at their best. They’re often grumpy and ungrateful due to feeling sick.
In over twenty books that I’ve written, I had never featured a nurse in a story … until this year! No doubt because of my husband’s influence and all the opportunities he’s been giving me 😊 two of my next books will feature nurses as the heroines. They are dual-heroines – nurses are heroines to so many every day, and these two nurses will be heroines of their own published stories.
I reached out to the other InspyRomance authors to identify CCR books that feature nurses as heroines. Please enjoy this list and as soon as I publish my own nurse stories, I’ll return here and let you know!
Valerie Comer: Lavished with Lavender has Kenna, a nurse in home care, taking care of the hero’s elderly grandmother after a fall.
Amy Anguish: Writing Home features a nurse who owns a sweet puppy named Flopsy.
Heather Gray: An Informal Arrangement, An Informal Introduction and An Informal Affair all have nurse heroines.
Merrillee Wren: My book Kirsten’s Mission features a nurse who longs to go back to the mission field. The grandson of one of her patients has other ideas for her future.
Questions to discuss: are you a nurse or other professional in the medical field? What made you decide to devote your career and life to helping and healing others? What is a favorite example of when you made a difference with a patient?
**Heartwarming, life-changing Christian fiction.** An award-winning author, Laurie is living her dream life at the beach, writing novels. Laurie writes beachy inspirational romance that takes place in the South Carolina Low Country. She retired from the big day job and now focuses on writing full time. Strolls on the sand, soaking up the sun and riding the waves can be considered the best kind of research.
Hi Laurie! God, as our teacher, often leads us down paths we wouldn’t choose for ourselves. May God grant you the patience, stamina, and grace to care for your husband. My German mom was a nurse, who served at the Battle of Kalingrad January 1945. When we immigrated to the United States, she worked on the pediatrics ward and later she was a care giver for a wheel chair bound lady. I learned my nursing skills from her. As a Mom (like most moms) I have nursed my family through many an illness – cold, flu, wisdom teeth removal, and my father’s heart and skin cancer (radiation treatments) issues. Now I often care for sick grandkids. I empathize with you – it is not an easy job. Thanks for the list of books. Best wishes. Stay safe and warm.
I’m sorry to hear about everything you and your husband have been through, I hope he’s doing ok at the moment.
I’m not a nurse, but I do work in healthcare. I’m a dietitian (you don’t get many of us featured in stories lol) and I currently work part time as I have young children, in the NHS in the UK.
I work in stroke rehabilitation – when someone has a stroke, we aim to get them home from hospital as soon as they’re medically stable, then the team I work for which is made up of physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, nurses and dietitians visit patients at home daily or a few times each day, to make sure they get the therapy they need for recovery. It’s much more meaningful and better for the person to do this at home instead of hospital if possible. Doing this job is one of the greatest gifts that God has given me, it’s wonderful to be able to work with people in this way and be a part of their recovery.
I am NOT a nurse, though I worked in the healthcare field for 27 years. I took what I learned about insurance there and now sell health insurance! I was also Mom’s full-time caregiver for the last 9 years of her life. I’d always wanted to work in the medical field, from the time I was little. I didn’t want to give shots and draw blood, though! I was actually told my a breast cancer patient (who also was a member of my church) that she’d been praying that God would give her a sign that she was doing the right thing by starting chemo, and that when she came in for her first treatment and saw me (I was in front asking one of the receptionists a question) that I was God’s answer to her prayer, since she saw me, could talk to me, and knew I worked there.
Hi Renate! You’re right, as moms and grandmothers we often play the nursing role! What a fascinating history your mother has had. I’m sure her real-life story would make for very good reading!
Have a great day.
Oh Ruthie, what a wonderful way to spend your career! I can feel the passion and caring oozing out of your words as you describe it. I know you’ve made a huge difference in the recovery of many patients, as well as comforting their families with your kind attitude. Best of luck to you as you continue. And thank you for your kind wishes for my hubby and me.
Hi Trudy! I worked 34 years for the largest insurance company in the US (Like a Good Neighbor!) and my first job there was in Health Insurance, paying medical and disability claims. It was a very interesting way to spend my days, and very rewarding! Yes, I learned a ton about medical treatments for various illnesses and disabilities.
What a blessing you were to that cancer patient, and what a blessing she gave you by letting you know the difference you made for her. And your selfless years of caring for your aging mother is a legacy to be so proud of!
Over 28 years ago, at the age of 15, I was injured in a diving accident. So, as a quadriplegic who depends on the care of others for daily living, I highly appreciate caretakers. I have no doubt that your husband considers himself blessed to have you helping him all these years.
I don’t have a medical degree but I have been a caregiver for my 95 year old grandpa for almost 3 years as my grandma passed away at the beginning of COVID so couldn’t really hire anyone outside of family because it was so locked down he needs 24 hour care so there is a caregiver there full time.His daughters had to hire a few girls that are cna certified and older ladies from our church as he is needing more care he has some of his teenage grandchildren to help out as my mom still has a 2 year old and 4 year old so she can’t go down there every day but she goes as much as she can and her other sisters who live close goes a often as they can but as they have children and grandchildren of there own it gets to busy.They don’t think he is going to be here much longer as he’s getting older for his sake as he is missing my grandma more and he been having problems breathing
Tiffany, thank you so much for sharing your story! I can only imagine how difficult it was for you to adjust to your new reality as a teenager. And I pray that you are healthy and happy all these years later. And yes, my husband has often thanked me for taking such good care of him and being by his side for all his challenges. Yesterday he joked, “You’re aging like a fine wine and I’m aging in dog years.” Ha ha. Thirty-three years ago I vowed to love and honor him through sickness and health, and I will continue to do so as long as it takes!
Kendra, your family has really provided such loving support and care to your wonderful patriarch. I know he must appreciate all your efforts, and especially your help. And I’m sure you have many wonderful memories of your moments with him. What a blessing to have such a long life filled with family and friends who love him.
No I am not in the medical field. But I sure appreciate those in the field are there and devoted. My husband has been dealing with a lot of health issues these last two years.
Me too Lori! And best wishes to your husband for continuous healing!
Thinking of you and praying for you both.
Thank you Christina!
I started nursing school and ended up leaving. I wanted to help the patients, but it was more paperwork and politics than it was patient care. My Mom was in a nursing home the last two years. I have witnessed wonderful nurses and aides who try to take care of patients with limited staff and resources. Thank you for sharing. God bless you.
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Being a caregiver is a hard job. it can be rewarding but it can also be frustrating and tiring. I was a carer for my mother for around 7 years officially but much longer in reality. I didn’t have to bath her etc but I did the shopping, helped get dressed at times. (one of the worst of all was the toe nails as they were so hard and cos she couldn’t wash her feet well often was really yuck). She still cooked etc but was very much a shut in hardly went out as it was too hard to get in a car or to go anywhere. the best thing was when she had to go to hospital and she thought they organised to have some home care. I had instigated it but we let her think it was thought the hospital or she wouldn’t let it happen. But it helped cos they came once a week for about 3 hours. one week they would do a little housework and then chat to her for the rest of the time and the next they would just chat. It meant I could be away from home and do something myself knowing someone else was there.
As rewarding as it is make sure you accept offers of help so you do get some time out to recharge when needed.
It doesn’t surprise me what you found about realities of nursing as an occupation. It seems it’s true in many occupations that the thing you love most is overshadowed by the processes and guidelines and paperwork. Teaching comes to mind, and computer programming.
Wow Jenny, that’s a life changer right there for you. God bless you for being there for your mom when she needed you.
I had to retire early (being an economist) to be Mum’s full-time caregiver for the last 2 years and a half of her life. But taking care of her (first twice a week, then three times a week, then every day) happened before, for a few good years…
That’s so sweet of you to take care of your mom when she needed you most.