Nurse Jason, March 23
Daily Reflections from Inside the Cancer Journey
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Written by David Gira
“When I was sick, you took care of me” (Matthew 25:36 CEV).
I grabbed the rail and tried to pull myself up in the hospital bed, but could not do it. Severe pain shot through my abdomen from the incision where the feeding tube had been installed a few hours earlier. Pumped up with fluids, I really needed to get to the bathroom. I paged the nurses’ desk and begged for help.
A few moments later, nurse Jason dashed into the room. Quickly, he slid his arm behind me and placed his hand on my back. With his other hand, he took hold of mine. On the count of three, in one smooth move, he miraculously sat me up and turned me so that I was sitting on the side of the bed.
As I started to stand, he stopped me and sat me back down. He had noticed that my hospital socks, yellow with little white non-slip zigzags covering the bottoms, had somehow slipped halfway off my feet. Several inches of unoccupied floppy sock presented a tripping hazard. Not wanting me to fall, he knelt in front of me and hurried to pull my socks up nice and snug.
In my few days at the hospital, Jason cared for me twelve hours a day. His kindness and compassion as well as his skillfulness helped me in countless ways. Before leaving the room, he always took a long look at me to make sure I was ok. For everything he did, I remain grateful. But noticing and helping me with my socks touched my heart most of all.
The vocation of nursing is said to have its roots in the Christian faith. Jesus healed all kinds of sickness and disease. He gave preferential treatment to those in need. He sent His disciples to preach the good news and to heal the sick and care for them as if they were caring for Him. He even said, “When I was sick, you took care of me” (Matthew 25:36).
Phoebe is the first nurse mentioned in the Holy Bible. She was commissioned by Saint Paul as a deaconess (a servant leader) to serve the church. Phoebe is said to have exemplified early Christian ideals of charity and selflessness. She cared for many sick strangers, orphans, and travelers, fellow believers, and Paul, under her own roof.
Paul wrote that Phoebe had been a “succorer of many” (Romans 16:2, KJV). A succorer is someone who gives help in times of need, distress, or difficulty. Its origin means to “run to the help of.” This aptly describes nursing.
Through cancer, you will encounter a nurse at each doctor’s visit, on the nurse’s triage phone line, and, if you are hospitalized, nurses will care for you around the clock. Nursing is a sacred calling, anchored in Christ. Jesus comes to help and heal us when we call upon His name. In the same way, nurses come to our aid. Often, they come running to help. For me, they have often made the unbearable bearable.
Pray: Lord, thank You for nurses. Minister to them, encouraging, strengthening, and helping them. Run to help each one. Assure them of their infinite value and the importance of their work. Amen.
Your Turn: Today give thanks to God for the nurses who have cared for you. Let them know how much you appreciate them and the difference they have made in your cancer journey.
Michael David Gira, Jr., Cancer Survivor
David was an ordained United Methodist Pastor and graduate of Duke Divinity School. He and his wife, Amy, lived in Raleigh, North Carolina with their three children. In 2017 he was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer. In his book, How Cancer Cured Me, he shares many ways he experienced God’s healing. After a 7 year battle with cancer, David is now joyously singing praises in God’s glorious throne room. His legacy lives on through his writing for Cancer Companions, as he continues to proclaim Christ’s hope and healing power to others experiencing cancer. https://www.davidgira.com/how-cancer-cured-me
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