Having had many close calls (being a cardiac patient) over many years, I felt a need to give something back to the nursing community, especially since they are are dealing with the demands of Covid 19!
I created 2 paintings specifically for the local hospital in Seattle. I wrote a letter which was attached to the painting as well, which explained my feelings:
9/1/20
Dear ‘Angels w/Scrubs,’ ie; ‘Nurses,’
I am an artist, the guy that created the abstract painting, ’Angels w/Scrubs.’
Why did I feel so compelled to create and determined to get this painting to you? Because ‘Special Angels,’ like yourselves, saved my life and not due to any medical procedure’ you have learned. It was because one nurse, in the wee hours of a very long, dark night, took 10 seconds they did not have to look into my eyes and said, ’nothing.’
You see, I’d been fighting double pneumonia for a week, with heart failure. I ‘know’ that I could have simply stopped fighting, ‘let go’ and died. In fact that was my plan as I was incredibly weak and could barely breath. I couldn’t take the pain, or worse, the loneliness and depression anymore. I didn’t care. But no one knew that - it didn’t show up on the charts. There, in my mind, was no reason to live.
Then, in the wee hours, of one very long dark night, a nurse, took my hand, for perhaps 10 seconds she did not have, looked directly into my eyes, for what seemed like an eternity, said not a word, and walked quietly out of my room.
Many, many medical procedures were administered by dutiful, efficient nurses over the course of that week and most friendly. But I will never forget that one special nurse, this ‘Angel w/Scrubs,’ that saved my life. She ‘saw’ me as a person and took the time to acknowledge my pain with her empathy. She cared! And in her caring, I began to heal, internally, emotionally, spiritually and eventually, medically.
This ‘life saving’ event was unique. Over the course of 20 years as a ‘frequent flyer’ in ED and hospitals, there have been many personal, caring, healing ‘special moments’ that have broken thru the sterile, rhythmic necessary business of medicine. From the vantage point of one sick man, lying on a bed, looking up at you, I believe this is nursing at it’s best!
10 seconds out of an impossible schedule can save a life and at the very least, have a profound effect on healing.
It is my greatest honor to have created this painting to nurses - everywhere. Nurses ROCK!
Gratefully yours,
Louie Rochon