Lucky.

These days, when I'm at the hospital I'm on a surgical unit. I pride myself on feeling grateful for the many gifts I've been given without needing to be reminded and not a day goes by that I don't realize how lucky I am. I do absolutely get bogged down with unimportant things from time to time, which is why I like nursing. If there is a day that goes by as a nurse on a unit like mine where you don't have to pause to give thanks at least once then we're spending our time in very different places. I try to think of ways every day to never lose sight of the fact that the people I see at the hospital are going through one of the worst (if not the worst) time in their life, and the day I do it will be time for me to move on towards a different venue for nursing.

Every patient reminds me how lucky I am to have my health, my friends and my family, and each case gives me a new way to count my blessings and be mindful of how quickly things can change. I admire their strength and their courage and hope that if the tables were turned I would be as strong as they are. Please, though, don't misunderstand: I don't pity them at all. In fact, I realize daily how much I have to learn about life in general; they teach me how to be a better, braver, nicer person in their own unique ways. I can only hope to return the favor by making their day just a little more tolerable.

Today, though, instead of being grateful to be spared a car accident, personal violence, organ failure or chronic disease, I want to take a moment to pause and be thankful for something I take for granted 99.99% of the time: my skin. 'Skin integrity' is a buzz phrase thrown at nurses from day one- it's something we've grown weary of being concerned about (have you ever seen a nurse manager come out of her office waving a piece of paper saying, "HAPU. WE GOT A HAPU. GOOD GRIEF, PEOPLE, THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING?" If you do, run.) But you see, this is the status quo for good reason. I see a wound, tunneled, deep, wide open and grossly infected and know it didn't take long to get that way. It wasn't long ago that the skin that is so mangled and angry looked like mine, except now it will take months to heal, if ever, and it will never be the same. As I run my hands smoothly over my body, pain free and without obstacle I marvel at how put together it is [knock on wood].

I say, sincerely, thanks.