What do you see

“Child, what do you see?”
‘I see love and care extending beyond boundaries’, I replied with a broad smile on my face.

While attending to Mdm HJY today, I was surprised when she suddenly grabbed my hand that was in the midst of assisting her and started kneading it. This kneading action moved from my palms, to my forearm, arm and then finally shoulders. Puzzled, I asked Mdm HJY if there was anything wrong. She looked at me, chuckled loudly, smiled and with great effort, spilled out the words in mandarin “You all work so hard. I need to give you a good massage”. And with that, she grabbed my arm firmly and started to knead and stroke it with even greater strength. Finishing with one arm, she motioned for me to turn over and did the same with my other arm. For a brief moment, I was stunned and stared at her with a look of bewilderment. Seeing my look, she took my hand, gave me a good tight squeeze, and chuckled in her usual HJY’s chuckle. I laughed, chuckled back and gave her a big thumbs up. She returned that with another big squeeze, chuckled once more and both of us broke out into fits of chuckles.

She amazed me. Not only because it was the first time I have ever been massaged and cared for to this extent by my patient, but also because HJY is a stroke and bedbound patient. Although she was paralysed on her right side, she did not allow her disability to cause her to have a dependant mentality. It is usual to see patients coming into the hospital, expecting medical professionals to give and assist them in everything. Yet, she stood out to be one who went beyond societal norms and thinking, to be the one instead to care for and love me. The twinkle in her eyes whenever I attend to her, the all familiar chuckle made me feel that my role was reversed with hers. We took turns to care for and bless each other in our own special ways. Yet, her little action today blessed my heart so much, I felt that I was a patient being blessed my nurse in a special little way. It left me with a warm heart, a feeling of wanting to reciprocate that love, care and concern to others, just like how she gave to me.

Today, Mdm HJL was discharged. I went over to do the final check on her to make sure that she was all ready for discharge. She extended her good hand and gave me a good, long, hard handshake. It was so long and hard that her son had to stop her, telling her that it was enough. Yet, I enjoyed this rather violent handshake. We looked at each other, and at the same moment, burst out together one last time with the HJY chuckle. Our eyes connected and we bonded beyond a professional nurse-patient relationship. We bonded beyond boundaries set. We have set a new relationship – one where care and love extended without boundaries.

“Child, what do you see?”, God asked when I stepped out of the hospital today.
‘I see love and care extending beyond boundaries’, I replied with a broad smile on my face.