A Veteran's gift to me.

On days such as these (Veteran's Day) - so many take the time to remember the call, the sacrifice, and the courage many men and women took to fight for freedom.

I am incredibly blessed. In that, everyday I have a front row seat to the stories of accomplishments, tears, pain, suffrage, victory, defeat - from each veteran I care for in each day.
Many times, I don't have the answer for their questions, for their anger, for their fear, or for their future. Many times I'm overwhelmed at their stories. You see, many of these Veteran's have seen, heard, experienced situation that I will never even dream of facing. And these experiences have shaped their emotions, spiritual person, and mindset in ways that can be uplifting and in ways that have left them in a complete construction zone.

Two weeks into my internship in the Summer of 2013. My patient, a WWII veteran, kind, compassionate, and full of stories. My young, new nursing brain - focused on: Do my head to toe assessment, notice, ask the right questions, make sure IV looks good, his he alert, his he oriented, blood pressure ok, pulse look good, and the list goes on as I entered the patients room. I notice a picture on his bedside table. Iwo jima. He asked me to sit and if he could share a story. He began to tell me about that day, the famous picture, and each man holding onto the American flag as it flew high. Each man, their story, their family, the impact they had on his life and their sacrifice. He said, "I don't know how I was so blessed to survive, raise a family, and give back...but I was and now I wish you the same blessing." He took my hand and placed a three-leaf clover in the palm of my hand. "I don't believe you need luck, but I truly wish you luck in your nursing career." I wish I could say I had some beautiful words to give back to him...all I could manage was tears, a big hug, and thank-you.

This clover sits in my name badge. I am forever impacted by this Veteran's words. And his challenge. I am blessed to live out my dreams, touch others lives, and fight for the rights of each of my patients.

How has your life been changed because of a Veteran? What are you doing because of that change?