T0 My Favourite Nurse - The Little Girl

I LOVE YOU TO THE MOON AND BACK!

Sometime back, I was asked by a very serious and hardworking young nurse who my favourite nurse was. I was rather taken aback by her question because it was so direct!  When I tried to reply that all the nurses were the same, she insisted that I must have a favourite! To which I said … no all are the same, I have no favourite. It’s like someone asking you which is your favourite child! LOL!

After a conversation with some of the senior nurses and also through my own observation, I came to the conclusion that nursing really is a special calling (like teaching!) 

What nurses are good at

• Reaching and stretching for tape or equipment on some faraway table
• Extensive knowledge about various tapes and plasters
• Showering patient without getting themselves wet in the process
• Wiping and cleaning up
• Handling micropore tape without making a sticky mess
• Draw blood and other complicated procedures

I’m very sure the list is much longer than the above…

Back to my favourite nurse!

So yes.  All of us need affirmation and praises, and nurses are no different. As you may be aware the pool of nurses in Singapore has stagnated due to our friend covid. So that is when I decided (after talking to 2 senior nurses) to give our little girl a little boost of encouragement. 

So the next time I saw our little girl, I was going to tell her that she is my favourite nurse! 

Sincerely ya…

However, the next few times that I saw her, it was during the night shift. I thought it would be extremely strange to say what I had to say in the middle of the night, in the darkness. It would probably wake me up too much as well. LOL. So clever me asked her to pick her Christmas Postcard and when I wrote her a personal message, I put a little special message inside too. Refer to the picture of the postcard below this.

It does not end there. Our little girl took about a week to sew me a personalized bookmark as a thank you for the Christmas Postcard. How sweet, right? I was so touched!

Most nurses that I have come across so far since being sick appear to be multitaskers.  Look at this pic below of my fave nurse moping up a water spillage in my room! She may be small, but she is powerful! Wow! Betcha didn’t think that nurses do this too…

My little nurse also has a quirky sense of humour. When she helps me to the toilet, I usually hold on to the various tubes connected to my line as it adds to the weight on my central line. So little girl commented one day that it looks like I am bring my dog for a walk. LOL!

Taking you up to speed…

READMISSION ROUND 3

PRELUDE -

It’s ok, speedy recovery, get well soon 

were what a lot of people wished me. 

Another popular well wishing is 

“You must be strong ok?”.

 All good intentions. 

Anyhow, it got me thinking…

Let’s dissect what these words mean. 

Promise me you will read to the end. 

The good part is at the ending! Patience is a virtue everyone!

*The following reflects my personal opinion. It is just an expression of my viewpoint and not meant to be targeted at any particular person.

1. What does being strong mean? 

Does someone know how to be strong?

I am sure this word has many different meanings to different people given their different circumstances.

Do you mean mentally, emotionally, physically or a combination of all 3?  

How do you be strong when you have never been in that particular situation before? 

2. Speedy recovery 

Do you mean like snap your fingers and I am well kind of speedy? Or what? Did you get the memo on leukaemia?  It is not the common cold we are dealing with here. 

Anyhow, to look at things positively, yes I have spent a lot of time in hospital but I am making progress every day. 

I count the small wins always.

3. It’s ok and get well soon

Two of the most cliché phrases of all time. I am guilty of the first one too. 

It’s ok -  is code word for don’t disturb me, I do not wish to elaborate or talk further, I really didn’t like it but I said it’s ok so that we don't carry on the conversation further than it needs to. Read in between the lines - end this suffering conversation? Oops!

What is it for you? 

Hmmmm….

Get well soon is a phrase that is so common, I remember writing it in primary school! 

Say something a bit more original perhaps?

What was said to me that was most helpful?

ENCOURAGEMENT!

MAKE ME LAUGH!

I have a friend who sends me a joke every day. Some days I get a bonus joke. Haha…To laugh is a privilege. I was so very touched by her simple gesture! 

I also have another friend who regularly video calls me. I call them my laughter session! 

MANY BLESSINGS!

So grateful to many of my BNI BOSSES

Thank you for constantly checking up on how my treatment is going despite your busy schedules. Thank you for feeding me, helping me prep and stock my home for CNY, entertaining me when I send my new artwork to you and much more! Emphasis on FEEDING ME!

- Threes A Crowd CNY Yummies Gifted by Weave Asia Boss!

BNI Synergy rocks!

My IJ gals!

I love you to niacinamide and Vitamin C and beyond and back again! 

I love our chatter in the chat, that I can complain about anything, tell them that I am bored, gossip about most anything and everything and reminisce about hammers and floods…ah those were the days! 

FYI – Hammers and floods are an insider joke of ours. Hee hee!

Also thank you to the friend who baked kueh lapis fresh for me. Xoxo!

- Homemade labour of love kueh lapis...do note the many layers!

There are more people to thanks always! Thank you!

All this while …

2 days before 3rd readmission…

How come I have so much art stuff to pack? 

My art bag is heavier than my actual bag!

Anxiety rising

Worried about my kids…and about my Dad running around too much… 

Who is going to buy CNY shoes and clothes with them? This may sound very silly…but still.

All activities that we used to do together

Online shopping is my fix! But live shopping with the kids was a tradition. I just didn’t know it at the time.

Fear of the unknown 

How will this treatment session go? Will I recognise my body after it’s done?

Blah blah blah…I could go on and on…but I choose to count my blessings. Here are 2 pics of me with Thai dessert that my friend sent to me. See how blessed I am? (FEED ME THEME?)

Next blog post topic choices

        1. On MYSTERY PERSON

Do you want to know who this person is? 

        2. What’s in my art bag and my art inspirations and processes

I will decide after I hear feedback from you guys.

Wahahaha! Have a good week!