Those whose lives we touch in slight measure

or maybe those who touch our lives in slight measure.  Did you ever wonder why you met a certain person at a certain time in your life?  Or did you ever take something someone said to you...and run with it-let it strengthen you and guide you?

So this happens alot to me but Thursday and Friday I was so comforted and inspired by people I had never met before that I have to write about it today.

The first person was Matt...one of my nurses in the cath lab.  He is the definition of nurse in my book.  There was alot of bustling about before the doctor came in.  They were training two nurses from another hospital where my doctor does catherizations.   It was hectic, to say the least. That was okay by me because it kept me from thinking about what was next.  All of a sudden it got really quiet and of course, if you know mw at all, I started to think and I started to tear up.

Matt saw this and came right over to me.  He said I looked upset and apprehensive.  He got real close to me and ask me if I was scared of the procedure or scared of what the doctor might find.  I told him quite honestly I didn't know.  So he said to me that if I was scared of what the doctor might find then I need not be...because whatever is there is not going to change in the next 10 minutes or so...that made sense to me.  Then he said if I was scared of the procedure, I should know that even though it was my first time through the procedure. he has assisted in thousands of these and I could rest assured that the doctor and nurses knew what to do in any circumstance.  Then he smiled and wiped the tears from my face.

Of course, Matt was only doing his job...but to me it was such a kindness and such a relief...I don't think I will ever forget Matt. Matt's words made me realize that most things in life are just like that.  Rarely do we face something that someone else hasn't already been through...we just have to know when to listen to those who want to help.

The next day I met my hospital roommate...I hadn't talked to her the day before because she was coughing alot. I didn't want her to feel obligated to talk to me and I thought she needed rest.  I knew that she was a cancer patient as well as a heart patient.  Later that night she called over to me and apologized for not talking and hoped I didn't think she was snooty!  I told her no, not at all, I knew it was hard for her to talk without coughing and that was okay.  I wished her well and we tried to get some rest.

The next morning she had more complications.  I was up and moving all about so when I thought she was feeling a little better I popped my head around the curtain and said hi.  We talked immediately about prayer and God and faith.  I found out that Karen is a very strong woman...she had already won a battle with cancer...and she wasn't going to go down this time without a fight.  As many of you know, there have been times when I really thought I couldn't go any further,,,and here was this woman dealing with all this stuff and telling me how she would fight until the end....heck, I have no problems compared to her and I know I can overcome these current obstacles!

Anyway...just before I left, the nurse came in and told Karen and her husband that the oncologist was coming in right away...that they felt her problems were cancer related.  Nobody had to spell it out for Karen...she knew that she was alot worse thatn they had first thought.  I said goodbye to her and she reached up and hugged me.  I kissed her forehead and tried not to cry in front of her.  I told her I would pray for her...for peace in whatever God has planned for her....and she said she would pray for me too.

So what did this experience teach me...or maybe just reinforce?  Well, even when we think we are facing a challenge on our own...right around the corner there is a total stranger who is going to say something or do something that will help us at that moment.  And sometimes, the shoe will be on the other foot...I will touch someone's life in slight measure...I will never know what I did or said to help...I will never know who....but I will-and someone's life will be better for it.