Learning New Truths

"Here is a simple rule-of-thumb guide to behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you, then grab the initiative and do it for them. Add up God's Law and Prophets and this is what you get" Matthew 7:12

I think one of the hardest issues I have working in the ER is not judging people. I know that it really shouldn't be an issue but it is. Plain and simple. I have a hard time with this.

When you walk into a patient's room and see them reliving an animated story with their friend, laughing and carrying on and then ask them what their pain level is and they say "10/10! Its excruciating! I can't take another minute of it or I will die!"... It is hard to take them seriously. I know it is not my place to rate their pain for them, but I find that I often do.

I find that the more I judge my patients, the more I become calloused and choose to believe they are lying to me. 

Matthew 7:2 says "For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

Heavy.

Last week Mason was home sick. At first I thought his symptoms were only a cold. I started giving him a hard time about staying home from work because I thought he should be able to handle these symptoms (me perceiving how he is feeling and making a judgement call). Turns out, I come home from work and he has a temp of 103.2 and needs to go to urgent care because he has Influenza! How awful do I feel?? I am so used to patients "playing sick" that I actually assumed my husband was also. 

Mason then said to me, "Its not my fault that you are taking care of people all day that are ACTUALLY DYING and I am home with a cold..."

I have such a far way to go. 

I learned from him then, in that moment, that I cannot assume. I need to be able to separate each and every patient, be it a patient at work or a family member that is sick. I need to see each and every one as someone who I have never seen before. TO LISTEN TO THEM. To have compassion. To not jump to conclusions. 

Thank you Lord for teaching me new truths through your word and through my husband. Please give my the courage and strength to put them into action.