Sweet, Simple Things

The past several weeks have been especially tough at the cancer clinic where I work. Any cancer diagnosis is devastating, but young women who have small children and are diagnosed with breast cancer break my heart and cause me to seriously question my belief system. The only thing worse is when, after months and sometimes years of treatment, their cancer comes back. At that point the statistics aren't their friend. We, the staff at the center, provide encouragement and hope while changing the focus from striving for a cure to working to prolong life with quality. It takes a strong, tender, and resilient heart to care for people day after day in all stages and phases of the continuum. There have been several of those circumstances in the past few weeks where the focus of care has changed from cure to the realization that cancer will be a force to reckon with for the rest of their life. And one death this week that was especially difficult. While I grieve for the folks in these situations, I have to remind myself that compassion fatigue is a very real danger in my area of work, especially when it's not recognized. Burned out nurses who slouch through the day are of no help to anyone and bring discontent and misery to the workplace. Since I love oncology nursing and want to stay fresh, compassionate, and competent, I make sure I take care of myself. One of the many ways I do this is to remind myself daily of sweet, simple things. With that lengthy introduction, here is my list for today:

1. I thrive on having something to look forward to. This week it happens to be my son, his wife, and my grandbaby arriving on Sunday to spend a week with us. My younger son and his wife will be here next week-end and we'll all be together-heaven on earth!

2. Lenny has been gone for 2 days and he'll be home tonight. One day is good- gives me some alone time- two days and I miss him terribly.

3. Peaches are so yummy right now. I eat a juicy one every morning, skin and all.

4. It's getting dark at a more reasonable time. Who needs daylight until 11PM?

5. As my dear readers know, I love perusing through catalogs...and this is the time of year when my mail box starts to fill up again! I don't buy much, but oh, the joy of dreaming up outfits I'd never have anyplace to wear! (The wardrobe for my career choice is pretty bland. At least it's not all white anymore.)