CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE NURSE’S SOUL, SECOND DOSE
CHICKEN SOUP
FOR THE
NURSE’S SOUL
Second Dose
More Stories to Honor and
Inspire Nurses
Jack Canfield
Mark Victor Hansen
LeAnn Thieman
Health Communications, Inc.
Deerfield Beach, Florida
www.hcibooks.com
www.chickensoup.com
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Canfield, Jack, 1944–
Chicken soup for the nurse’s soul, second dose / Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, LeAnn Thieman.
p. cm.
eISBN-13: 978-0-7573-9853-7 (ebook) eISBN-10: 0-7573-9853-7 (ebook)
1. Nursing—Anecdotes. 2. Nurses—Anecdotes. I. Hansen, Mark Victor. II. Thieman, LeAnn. III. Title.
RT61.C376 2007
610.73—dc22
2007025776
© 2007 John T. Canfield and Hansen and Hansen LLC
All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.
HCI, its logos and marks are trademarks of Health Communications, Inc.
Publisher: Health Communications, Inc.
3201 S.W. 15th Street
Deerfield Beach, FL 33442–8190
Cover design by Andrea Perrine Brower
Inside formatting by Dawn Von Strolley Grove
To all nurses, true angels of mercy.
Thank you for continually easing
the suffering of the world.
Contents
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Share with Us
1. DEFINING MOMENTS
Hope Jeri Darby
Pilar Terry Evans
Memories of Polo Sharon T. Hinton
Nurse Nancy Nancy Barnes
Welcome to War Emily Morris
Confessions of a CNO Val Gokenbach
2. HEART OF A NURSE
The Exchange Cyndi S. Schatzman
Christmas in July Kathleen E. Jones
Sacred Moments Jude L. Fleming
Nurse, Heal Thyself Patty Smith Hall
A Nurse’s Touch Maryjo Faith Morgan
Finding Christ in a Hospice Father Gent Ullrich as told to John Fagley
Halloween Jean Kirnak
The Day “Doc” Goss Became a Nurse Patrick Mendoza
Goodnight, Harry Harry J. as told to Daniel James
Comforter Cindy Hval
3. LOVE
Perfect Child Diana M. Amadeo
Child’s Therapy Barbara Haile
A Sign of Love Annisha Asaph
Katie Gail Wenos
Winter’s Story Christine Linton
Serendipity? Tori Nichols
Billie Kerrie G. Weitzel
No Reply Marlene Caroselli
4. CHALLENGES
Mirachelle Ruth Bredbenner
Mother and Nurse Mary Pennington
The Other Side of the Bed Cyndi S. Schatzman
A Dose of Compassion Karen Fisher-Alaniz
Chimes of Joy Judy Bailey
Tom’s Mountain Brian O’Malley
To Kunuri and Back Jean Kirnak
Back to Life L. Sue Booth
Stumbling onto Something Real Barbara Bartlein
Do That Voodoo That You Do So Well Karen Rowinsky
A Nurse’s Prayer Ruth Kephart
5. BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY
The Promise Gina Hamor
I Can’t Go to Heaven Yet Sue Henley
Making the Grade Susan Fae Malkin
The New Grad Vanessa Bruce Ingold
John Doe L. Sue Booth
A Heart for Haiti Anna M. DeWitt as told to Twink DeWitt
MERCI Helen French as told to LeAnn Thieman
A Relay of Control Flo LeClair
The Tale of the Sale Kathy Brown
6. LESSONS
The Creepy Visitor Joyce Seabolt
Janet David Avrin
A Lesson in Saying Good-bye Barbara Scales
One Patient Peggy Krepp
There Is Nun Better Ronald P. Culberson
Fish Therapy Daniel James
Bridge to a Silent World Margaret Hevel
The Survivor Mary Clare Lockman
This Is Bill Susan Stava
The Value of Time Lillie D. Shockney
7. MATTER OF PERSPECTIVE
Fifty-Fifty L. Sue Booth
A Necessary Change Anne Johnson
Catch of the Day Carol McAdoo Rehme
Saving the Best Till Last Delores Treffer
Gang-Style Carla Tretheway as told to Eva Marie Everson
100 Kathleen D. Pagana
This Is the Way We Brush Our Teeth Beverly Houseman
An Alien Named Maria Cheryl Herndon
Two Choices Glenna Anderson Muse
8. DIVINE INTERVENTION
Do You Hear the Bells? Judy Whorton
A Mysterious Intervention Margaret Lang with NancyMadson
Laura’s Story Patricia J. Gardner
The Infant Thea Picklesimer as told to Sandra P. Aldrich
I See Glory Sue Henley
Our Daily Bread Sharon Weinland Georges as told to Judith Weinland Justice
Another Wavelength Anne Wilson
I’m Going to Die! Kathy B. Dempsey
His Heart Thea Picklesimer as told to Sandra P. Aldrich
9. HOPE
The Reason Tracy Crump
An Easter Lesson Sylvia Martinez as told to Barbara Cueto
A Peaceful Day Ivani Greppi
Chimes in the Snow Carol Shenold
The Lifeline Tracy Crump
My Name Is John John as told to Kelly Martindale
New Life Thomas Winkel
Sustained Me Wendy Young
Optimistic Light Jessica Kennedy
10. THANK YOU
God Supplies Angels Susan Lugli
To School Nurses Ellen Javernick
Angels of Mercy Lola Di Giulio De Maci
To the Nurse Who Served in Vietnam Kerry Pardue
God’s Hand James E. Robinson
Knowing Your Limits Frank Serigano
Thanking Ruby Jacqueline Gray Carrico
Thank You for Your Care Denise A. Dewald
More Chicken Soup?
Supporting Others
Who Is Jack Canfield?
Who Is Mark Victor Hansen?
Who Is LeAnn Thieman?
Contributors
Permissions
Acknowledgments
We wish to express our heartfelt gratitude to the following people who helped make this book possible:
Our families, who have been chicken soup for our souls!
Jack’s family: Inga, Travis, Riley, Christopher, Oran, and Kyle for all their love and support.
Mark’s family: Patty, Elisabeth, and Melanie Hansen, for once again sharing and lovingly supporting us in creating yet another book.
LeAnn’s devoted, loving, supportive family: Mark, Angela, Brian, Dante, Lia, Christie, Dave, Dagny, and Mitch.
Our publisher Peter Vegso, for his vision and commitment to bringing Chicken Soup for the Soul to the world.
Patty Aubery and Russ Kamalski, for being there on every step of the journey, with support, wisdom, and endless creativity.
D’ette Corona, coauthor liaison extraordinaire, who, from behind t
he scenes, brings this and every Chicken Soup book to fruition, with unparalleled grace, expertise, and professionalism.
Patty Hansen, for her thorough and competent handling of the legal and licensing aspects of the Chicken Soup for the Soul books.
Laurie Hartman, for being a great guardian of the Chicken Soup brand.
Veronica Romero, Lisa Williams, Teresa Collett, Robin Yerian, Jesse Ianniello, Lauren Edelstein, Lauren Bray, Patti Clement, Michelle Statti, Debbie Lefever, Connie Simoni, Karen Schoenfeld, Marty Robinson, Patti Coffey, Pat Burns, Kristi Waite, and Blake Arce, who support Jack’s and Mark’s businesses with skill and love.
Meagan Romanello, Noelle Champagne, Jody Emme, Michelle Adams, Dee Dee Romanello, Shanna Vieyra, and Gina Romanello, who support Jack’s and Mark’s businesses with skill and love.
Michele Matriscini, Carol Rosenberg, Andrea Gold, Allison Janse, Katheline St. Fort, our editors at Health Communications, Inc., for their devotion to excellence.
Terry Burke, Tom Sand, Irena Xanthos, Lori Golden, Kelly Johnson Maragni, Christine Zambrano, Jaron Hunter, Patricia McConnell, Kim Weiss, Maria Dinoia, Paola Fernandez-Rana, the marketing, sales, and PR departments at Health Communications, Inc., for doing such an incredible job supporting our books.
Tom Sand, Claude Choquette, and Luc Jutras, who manage year after year to get our books translated into thirty-six languages around the world.
The Art Department at Health Communications, Inc., for their talent, creativity, and unrelenting patience in producing book covers and inside designs that capture the essence of Chicken Soup: Larissa Hise Henoch, Lawna Patterson Oldfield, Andrea Perrine Brower, Anthony Clausi, and Dawn Von Strolley Grove.
All the Chicken Soup for the Soul coauthors, who make it so much of a joy to be part of this Chicken Soup family.
Our glorious panel of readers who helped us make the final selections: Barbara Bartlein, Jill Bolte, Kathy Burghart, Edie Cuttler, Gloria Dahl, Jennifer Dale, Nancy Denke, Teri Detwiler, Berniece Duello, Michele Edlestein, Sally Kelly-Engleman, Terry Evans, Susan Goldberg, Jacqueline Gray Carrico, Laura-Jean Hawley, Karen Kishpaugh, Linda Leary, Mary McMahon, Mary Panosh, Sallie A. Rodman, Brandy Rogers, Christie Rogers, Cheryl Savel, Diane L. “Smitty” Smith, Betty Stockton, Cary Westerman, and Melissa Williams.
And, most of all, everyone who submitted their heartfelt stories, poems, quotes, and cartoons for possible inclusion in this book. While we were not able to use everything you sent in, we know it all came from your hearts.
Because of the size of this project, we may have left out the names of some people who contributed along the way. If so, we are sorry; please know we appreciate you very much.
A special thanks to Amy Williams, who manages LeAnn’s speaking business while she writes . . . and writes . . . and writes.
To Mark, LeAnn’s husband and business partner, without whom none of this would have been possible.
And to LeAnn’s mother, Berniece, who gave LeAnn her nurse’s heart.
And to God, for His divine guidance.
Introduction
Nearly 1 million nurses have been touched by the stories in the first edition of Chicken Soup for the Nurse’s Soul. As a professional speaker, I am blessed to talk to tens of thousands of them. Over and over again they tell me how the stories bolstered them . . . how they read just the right story on just the right day, just when they needed it. Some nurses keep the book in their locker at work, others read it together at the beginning of shift report, still others keep it as a ready “reference” at the nurse’s desk.
It is my hope that you will keep it handy at your bedside, or in your bathroom or break room (some days they’re the same thing!) and enjoy a dose of inspiration x1 daily and p.r.n. These stories of hope and healing will remind you why you entered this honorable profession . . . and why you stay. Let them fill you with hope and pride and strength to continue your courageous, compassionate caring.
For every hand you’ve held, for every life you’ve touched, we thank you.
With love and admiration,
LeAnn Thieman
Reprinted by permission of Mark Parisi and Off the Mark. ©2001 Mark Parisi.
Share with Us
We would love to hear your reactions to the stories in this book. Please let us know what your favorite stories were and how they affected you.
We also invite you to send us stories you would like to see published in future editions of Chicken Soup for the Soul. Please send submissions to: www.chickensoup.com.
Chicken Soup for the Soul
P.O. Box 30880
Santa Barbara, CA 93130
fax: 805-563-2945
We hope you enjoy reading this book as much as we enjoyed compiling and editing it.
1
DEFINING MOMENTS
Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood.
Helen Keller
Hope
Appetite, with an opinion of attaining, is called hope; the same, without such opinion, despair.
Thomas Hobbes
“Good thing you got him here! Any longer and we would have had to remove part of his bowel. He has an inguinal hernia . . . if it had strangulated . . . ” I didn’t understand the medical jargon. The doctor was explaining my baby’s condition, but he might as well have been speaking French.
Johnny was seven months old when he screamed uncontrollably, despite all my efforts to appease him. I knew something was seriously wrong. I bolted into the emergency department. The ER doctor examined him and the next thing I knew I was signing papers for emergency surgery.
Fear numbed me as I inwardly prayed that Johnny would be okay. God was the only glimmer in my dismal life back then. At age twenty-three, I was struggling to support my three children. Our marriage was failing and we were separated. Again.
I’d survived mostly on government assistance since the birth of my first child, who was four years old. I’d quit high school during my twelfth year and later obtained my GED. My work history was sketchy, but I longed to be financially stable. I prayed earnestly for direction.
I spent as much time as I could with Johnny and I hated leaving him to be tended by strangers. While visiting, I noticed one of his care-providers was dressed in green while the rest wore the traditional white. I wanted to ask her why, but I was still dazed by everything and did not have the emotional energy for idle inquisitions.
One day I watched as she busied herself taking Johnny’s temperature. My curiosity overwhelmed me. “Why are you wearing a green dress?”
“I’m a nursing student,” she replied.
“What school do you attend?” I continued, just making conversation. She told me all about a one-year federally funded program.
“How do you become a part of this program?” I asked.
The friendly student smiled eagerly. “Let me tell you about becoming a nurse.”
With pride and enthusiasm she gave me a detailed account of what was necessary. I had never considered a nursing career, although since leaving high school, I thirsted for knowledge. As I listened to her, I felt the dying flame of hope rekindling. Could I do this?
During the following weeks I completed the list of prerequisites she shared with me. Everything was coming together fine. Then I discovered that having your own transportation was a requirement. “But I don’t have a car,” I explained to the program director. They could only accept thirty-two students and they screened carefully trying to select those most likely to graduate. She studied my face in silence.
“I will give you two months to get one,” she said hopefully.
Yes! I thought while thanking God for victory. My heart fluttered with excitement. I was scheduled to begin classes in two months.
“I’m going to be a nurse!” I proudly proclaimed to my family.
Their laughter was biting.
“Do you think you can be a nurse? You’ve never been around sick people.”
“I can see you fainting at the firs
t sight of blood!” my mother added.
When I’d quit school it was no surprise to them because no one in my family had ever graduated. They meant no harm, but their thoughtless cruelty fueled my determination to succeed. I’m going to finish nursing school if only to show them, I pledged to myself.