I saw an angel three years ago in the hospital after my second heart surgery at Saratoga Hospital. I wrote about her on my blog, although I did not know her name. I was lying in bed recovering from my surgery. A curtain separated me from my roommate, an older man in great pain and discomfort.
It was nighttime, I was still groggy from my surgery. The hospital was quiet.
For more than two hours, I heard a nurse sitting with him, talking to him, comforting him, and listening to him. It was one of the most beautiful sounds and loving acts I can ever remember seeing or hearing, and it touched me deeply and filled me with hope and inspiration.
I was in good shape compared to my roommate. I knew I was going home in the morning. I doubted that he was.
Her name was Julia; I found out. When I described her, the other nurses knew immediately who I was talking about.
She was only a few feet from me but invisible. I could hear every word she said and was mesmerized by her kindness and patience. When the patient next to me finally fell asleep, she came into my side of the room to apologize for keeping me awake.
She personified to me the spirit of nursing and the empathy and compassion it requires.
The point of this is that it cost me nothing in time or money to thank Julia for what she had done and recognize her. This is the perfect use of a blog.
I said it was a pleasure; I would have hated missing it. I wrote a letter to the hospital about her and called the nursing supervisor to relay what I had seen. That was in 2020, and I never heard from her again until this morning, when I got this message from her that I wanted to share.
It is easy to take a few minutes to thank people like Julia for their work and to make sure the people she works for understand what she did. I am grateful to her for her kindness and empathy, and I was very touched to get this message today. I love doing good with my blog; there is nothing sweeter than bringing praise and recognition to the many angels that keep our wheels turning.
Every day I am reminded that there are good people in the world; they represent the best of us and give us hope for the future. The angry and hateful people of the world will never triumph. You can read what I wrote about Julia Spelter here.
She is still a nurse; I hope she always will be.
“Hi, Jon,
My name is Julia Spelter. The nurse you wrote about in your blog post from 08/25/2020. I just wanted to thank you for your kind words and beautiful description of me in that post. One that is too kind, but will always touch my heart and remind me of why I do what I do. Even now, three years later, I find myself smiling knowing that if I made a difference to even one person… it would have all been worth it. I always think about how the real job of a nurse is often unknown because it isn’t as glamorous as the movies depict, but how rewarding and purposeful it is! To God be the Glory!
I still think of that article as one of the greatest gifts in my career, so thank you again and take care,
Julia S.”
Small acts of kindness are just as good as big ones, sometimes better. I hope I never forget the angels who walk our streets and enter our loves. They deserve all the love and recognition they can get. Thanks, Julia, for existing, and for writing to me. I think of you often.
Thank you for sharing. When my husband was injured in a skiing accident resulting in a spinal chord injury, he spend six months in rehab in New Jersey. We met so many angels on earth in the caring nurses, PTs and Ots, and many of the aides. It takes a very special person to be called into health care and deliver such care with kindness, compassion and respect for the patient.
what a beautiful message you received from Julia this morning! A perfect way to start your day….. in reflection and appreciation. I went back and read your original post of 3 years ago about Julia’s kindness and it brought tears to my eyes. Being able to share and give kindness to another soul is a priceless gift. Reminds me of the Ralph Waldo Emerson quotation *for just one life to have breathed easier because you have lived, is to have succeeded*. It is reassuring to me ( having spent my working life in the medical field, but knowing the pressures that abound in the nursing field these days) to know that Angels like Julia…… abound, and give much needed comfort so freely and willingly. A beautiful message you shared today, thank you Jon
Susan M
It’s easier to acknowledge than complain, emotionally easier anyway. Yet we often complain about poor service or just because we are grumpy. I always make a point of thanking service people whether in person or on the phone. Even if we have had a difficult and, for me, unproductive conversation, I know they are doing an often thankless job. Thanking them not only (I hope) makes them feel better, it makes me feel better too.
I just got home after 9 days in the hospital, where I had good care from a great many nurses (as well as a few doctors). I had my husband bring down some note cards, so that I could leave thank you notes. I asked my last nurse, saying I’d had so many helpers and didn’t remember all the names, if she could be sure the card was passed around? She said she would, that they put them up in the break room, so workers can read them. Nurses and “techs” (we called them nurses’ aids when I was younger) are so helpful to so many people. One of my first techs thanked me for being nice, as apparently she encounters a lot of people who are rude and mean. How foolish of them–these people are taking care of us, the least we can do is to be good to them in return. I’m so appreciative of all who have worked in the health care field, especially the last 3 years which have been so hard on all of them.
My father had an “angel” nurse appear by his side just before and after he passed. It was very comforting and surreal.