January 28th gratitude

Today, I give thanks for people who see beyond themselves.  I visited a patient today in my unit that has semiprivate beds.  I visited with and prayed for a patient and then as I was getting ready to leave I asked her if there was anything else that she needed or that I could do for her.  She said that I could visit her friend in the next bed because she was having a hard day.  This patient was probably 70 while the patient on the other side of the curtain was probably in her 20s. I looked around the curtain and the patient appeared to be asleep.  I started to tell the first patient that the other one was asleep and to say that I would pray for her when I heard he second patient say in a weak voice, "I'm awake."  I went and prayed with her because she didn't feel up to visiting but did want prayer.  I thanked the first patient for telling me about her roommate.  I might have had a little dust in my eyes as I walked down the hallway afterwards.  I am always moved by patients who are concerned about others in the midst of their struggle.