The Nurse From Paradise

Jonathan knew the routine well. Ever since he had been diagnosed with his kidney condition, he knew that his home health visits would be highlighted by endless paperwork routines and personally negative interrogations. During catheter insertions, each nurse was likely to say” tell me when it starts hurting;” Regrettably, this tactic often filled his mind with thoughts of dread.

Predictably, he waited impatiently for each appointment. A nurse either got lost in finding his house or phoned him to re-schedule his appointment. His insurance provided no help as it limited him to only one visit per month. It was only logical that a spirit of pessimism had possessed his soul.

One month, a new Haitian nurse, Malila, arrived for his monthly treatment. Jonathan immediately sensed a difference. Unlike the others, her quirky Haitian accent combined with the kindness in her eyes suggested to him a spirit of optimism. “Where would you like this done” she softly asked him. He felt relieved when she had skipped the blood testing and paper signatures for sure that day.

Malila was easy to talk to. When Jonathan explained the history of his condition in great detail, Malila responded with the idea that he could cure himself by finding the right doctor. She went in to explain her view that it was a rare to find doctors who took the time to fully understand their patients condition.

The catheter insertion went well and for the first time he had no thoughts of fear. Malila then handed him her personal phone to call in case he ran into a problem making his next appointment. He then realized that Malila would become the key to curing his condition.

The following month, a home health service provided by his current doctor refused to authorize any more face to face appointments. Malila would now be past history. But Malila had given him the power to be strong in her once only visit. A new doctor would in fact heal him one year later.

Sometimes in our busy lives we reject strangers who appear in our life as unneeded distractions. We feel we have no time to listen to those who do not really know us. But in this account, it is clear to me that such unexpected encounters can provide us with honest answers to our most serious problems. Our eyes must stay open when we meet the nurse from paradise.