Reproduced from Facebook.
Digging Deep with Mr P.
"Sir," the woman said, "you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? . . ." Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." John 4:11-1
The reason this scripture means so much to me today is because I was thinking of one of my patients Mr. P. He came into the clinic about 4 months ago straight from the hospital and still in his hospital gown. Never have I seen such visible misery on a face. His son and twin daughters brought there "rock' of a Dad in frail and near death. The Son was silent and confused having never seen his strong Father this way..and the daughters were doting and terrified. Mr. P was angry and he is a "facts" man. Dealing with him is like being at a constant inquisition..he forgets nothing you say..has a photographic memory of "procedure" and if you vary from it in any way...you will be called on the carpet. This isn't my first rodeo with "independents" who have lost all control of their life and three days a week put themselves in the hands of strangers ...who stick railroad spike size needles in their arm...while they watch their "life blood" be taken from them..while strapped to a chair for 4 hours. If the constant inquisition gives him a sense of peace and control..love tells me to turn the other cheek..so week after week I pulled up a chair for the inquisition. I knew eventually he would feel better and get quality of life back...patience was in order. We call them "patients" but really..we should be called that..bwahahaha.
Anyway..it's been months now and he is driving again..still suspicious and not sure he wants to continue this way..but my rotation keeps me in contact with him for at least one week out of the month..however I have been able to talk with every day and I do. I know love conquers all...I have a 100% success rate with that...
I am trained in a procedure called "button hole" which means that we stick the two needles in the same spot over and over until a tunnel into the blood stream is made. He was a perfect
candidate for that...due to his frailty it would cut down on infections. We approached him with this idea not thinking he would agree to it due to his mistrust of everything about this process...he states he is only staying alive for his kids who would be devastated if he did not try..he isn't a quitter. He agreed only if "I" would be the one to do the procedure. It takes 8 weeks to develop..I was ecstatic and honored that he asked for me. So..we are on week three of this and I still have the inquisition..but now we are getting down to "knowing" each other. Keep in mind that we are making a "tunnel" into the blood stream...we are basically digging a well....and guess what Mr. P was all his life...a well digger.
He tells me he started out with a shovel back in the day (he is in his 80's.) He worked hard and bought equipment as it became available and he could afford it. He built a huge business and was the major "digger" for all the rural areas in many counties. He has dug wells for many of the other patients in the clinic and they know him.
He has taught me a lot about what it takes to dig deep...to get to the water. In turn..I have used Jesus love of Parables to "dig deep" into Mr. P..to find that living water that he understands better than even I do...I have seen him changing.. coming back alive..in a sense greater than just existing..He gave the world water..and I get to return the favor by drawing out of my own well and giving him a drink...he likes that analogy. So do I.
So ..as I dig a tunnel into his "lifeblood" in more ways than one..he teaches me about perseverance or should I say we both teach each other...about the well that never runs dry..and that we will never thirst again...He went to the Casinos in Lousianna this weekend...and had a blast..the spring is flowing and he is living again..I am honored to watch my Jesus who dug that well for us a long time ago...begin to heal this man in ways my profession can never touch...and this scripture means more to me because of him...than just words on paper..It's a beautiful thing...isn't it?
Digging Deep with Mr P.
"Sir," the woman said, "you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? . . ." Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." John 4:11-1
The reason this scripture means so much to me today is because I was thinking of one of my patients Mr. P. He came into the clinic about 4 months ago straight from the hospital and still in his hospital gown. Never have I seen such visible misery on a face. His son and twin daughters brought there "rock' of a Dad in frail and near death. The Son was silent and confused having never seen his strong Father this way..and the daughters were doting and terrified. Mr. P was angry and he is a "facts" man. Dealing with him is like being at a constant inquisition..he forgets nothing you say..has a photographic memory of "procedure" and if you vary from it in any way...you will be called on the carpet. This isn't my first rodeo with "independents" who have lost all control of their life and three days a week put themselves in the hands of strangers ...who stick railroad spike size needles in their arm...while they watch their "life blood" be taken from them..while strapped to a chair for 4 hours. If the constant inquisition gives him a sense of peace and control..love tells me to turn the other cheek..so week after week I pulled up a chair for the inquisition. I knew eventually he would feel better and get quality of life back...patience was in order. We call them "patients" but really..we should be called that..bwahahaha.
Anyway..it's been months now and he is driving again..still suspicious and not sure he wants to continue this way..but my rotation keeps me in contact with him for at least one week out of the month..however I have been able to talk with every day and I do. I know love conquers all...I have a 100% success rate with that...
I am trained in a procedure called "button hole" which means that we stick the two needles in the same spot over and over until a tunnel into the blood stream is made. He was a perfect
candidate for that...due to his frailty it would cut down on infections. We approached him with this idea not thinking he would agree to it due to his mistrust of everything about this process...he states he is only staying alive for his kids who would be devastated if he did not try..he isn't a quitter. He agreed only if "I" would be the one to do the procedure. It takes 8 weeks to develop..I was ecstatic and honored that he asked for me. So..we are on week three of this and I still have the inquisition..but now we are getting down to "knowing" each other. Keep in mind that we are making a "tunnel" into the blood stream...we are basically digging a well....and guess what Mr. P was all his life...a well digger.
He tells me he started out with a shovel back in the day (he is in his 80's.) He worked hard and bought equipment as it became available and he could afford it. He built a huge business and was the major "digger" for all the rural areas in many counties. He has dug wells for many of the other patients in the clinic and they know him.
He has taught me a lot about what it takes to dig deep...to get to the water. In turn..I have used Jesus love of Parables to "dig deep" into Mr. P..to find that living water that he understands better than even I do...I have seen him changing.. coming back alive..in a sense greater than just existing..He gave the world water..and I get to return the favor by drawing out of my own well and giving him a drink...he likes that analogy. So do I.
So ..as I dig a tunnel into his "lifeblood" in more ways than one..he teaches me about perseverance or should I say we both teach each other...about the well that never runs dry..and that we will never thirst again...He went to the Casinos in Lousianna this weekend...and had a blast..the spring is flowing and he is living again..I am honored to watch my Jesus who dug that well for us a long time ago...begin to heal this man in ways my profession can never touch...and this scripture means more to me because of him...than just words on paper..It's a beautiful thing...isn't it?
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