Dear Patient,

I'm your advocate, your voice to the Doctors. I look up your labs, check them against your orders, I prime your IV tubing, I infuse vital medications. (usually it's even on time when pharmacy gets their asses into gear and profiles your shit before it comes up late on my screen). I get you everything from blankets to ice water to changing channels for you when your "clicker" doesn't work right. I clean some of you up when you mess yourself (from many orifices). I calm you down when you're upset. I teach you when you're confused. I feed some of you pureed foods spoonful by painstaking spoonful because I know if I don't feed it to you, you won't eat and I want to see you get better.

Just know while some of you complain that you are SO HUNGRY and STARVING because your dinner was delayed 15 minutes and it's 4:45p.m., I haven't eaten since 5am that morning (and you had breakfast and lunch in that time period). While your left leg is a little stiff from the rain outside I have two swollen, black and blue knees and wrists from tripping over our dog's gate.. twice. You might think I'm invincible, but I'm not. Sometimes I wish nothing more than to break my leg and be EXACTLY where you are and just be able to stay perfectly still. I could totally kick ass at that.