It's exquisite

 I took care of this really sweet patient over the weeend. 

Sepsis caused him to become delerious and he kept asking for something to drink. The first shift I had with him he was NPO (nothing by mouth) and so I couldn't give him what he desperately asked for. My second shift he was allowed to have clear fluids and he kept asking for water... he was also on D10 (sugar water basically) and so I told him that if he was thirsty that we would give him some apple juice.

When I advised him that I was going to give him apple juice the conversation went like this:

him: "I don't want apple juice, why do I need that, why can't I just have water"

me: "because the apple juice has sugar in it and you need that right now"

him: "but that's exactly it, apple juice has too much sugar in it, that's why I don't like it"

me: thinking in my head - yep then you will DEFINATELY like our apple juice cuz it does NOT taste sweet! - instead I said to him - "how bout we try it out, I'll even make it really cold and add some ice"

him: "well if you're going to add ice, I'll try it"

me - make his apple juice with a ton of ice and bring it to him, give him a sip

him: "my, I don't know what you did but this is exquisite!"

hahahaha - I laughed so hard let me tell you. He was just so earnest. He would take a sip and kept commenting about how wonderful and delicious and how it was hitting "just the right spot". Oh he was so cute. He just made my heart melt.

Same patient the next night I was getting him all tucked into bed to sleep, got his pillows all fluffed and set up all around his head, tucked his blankets in all around him and under his chin and he turns to me and says: "thank you for being you, I love you, thank you for taking such great care of me".... and subsequently closed his eyes and went to sleep.

Melt my heart!

These sort of moments make me realize even more why I love being a nurse.