Finding meaning in daily interactions
I was talking to my sister about potentially working as a school nurse. She mentioned she wasn't sure it would be the most interesting medicine. As someone who bases friendships and jobs around how intellectually stimulated I feel, I get her concern. Yet a part of me squirmed.
As I tried to figure out why, I got a vision of myself in tenth grade, having a bad POTS episode. Of course, at that time I didn't know what it was; all I knew was that I thought I was going to pass out and couldn't figure out why I seemed to be having a panic attack, despite not actually feeling anxious. I stumbled out of class with a freshman classmate I hardly knew supporting me, and made my way to the nurse's office. I'm sure she had no clue what to make of me, but she gave me some saltines and some water, and let me lay down in a bed, surrounded by a curtain, until I felt up to going back to class.
In that office, with that nurse, I felt safe and cared for. This is what I hoped to convey, somehow, to my sister. It may not be the most medically interesting work, but that doesn't mean it isn't important or can't be rewarding. There are so many kids who are just starting to figure out that there's something amiss. Maybe it's emotional stress manifesting physically. Maybe it's a rare disease (or three). Who knows. But there will be kids who spend far more time in the nurse's office than any kid wants, and it makes a world of difference for those students to have a nurse who will genuinely care for them.
I remember the first time I learned the word "hypochondriac." We had just read Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH in class. I think it was fifth grade. One of the vocab words from the story was hypochondriac. It didn't stick in my head right away, though. That week I went to the nurse's office with a headache. As I sat quietly in the corner, I overheard the nurses talking to each other, and that word, hypochondriac, came up. I remember feeling pride that I knew what such a fancy word meant, but then felt a bit confused and ashamed that it may have been directed toward me. I'm not sure I was as comfortable going back to that nurse's office after that, afraid of being seen as what I perceived was an over-dramatic symptom faker.
So yeah, it made a difference. Being sick at school sucks, especially when you're young. How adults respond to you can be huge. And really, no matter what profession you're in, any interaction you have with others can make a difference. I can't count the number of times my day has been brightened by the cheerful man checking for shoplifters at the Walmart exit, or the goofy guy who makes jokes while I pay for parking at the hospital. I have one of the most rewarding jobs in the world -- teaching students who have been failed by the public school system. The incredible growth and resilience these youth exhibit is unbelievable. But even in my job, it only feels truly rewarding when I take the time to be kind to each student individually, to share a moment of our day together, and to create a connection. Let's do more of this, regardless of where we work. Nothing is too small to go unnoticed.