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| When an old lady died in the geriatric ward of a hospital , it appeared she had left nothing of value. The nurse, packing up her possessions, found this poem. The quality so impressed the staff that copies were distributed to all the nurses in the hospital. This poem then later appeared in the Christmas edition of "Beacon House News," a magazine of the Ireland Mental Health Association. This was the Lady's bequest for posterity. |
| What do you see nurse, What do you see? What are you thinking When you look at me? A crabby old woman, Not very wise, Uncertain of habit With far away eyes. Who dribbles her food And makes no reply; Then you say in a loud voice, "I do wish you'd try." Who seems not to notice The things that you do, And forever is losing A stocking or shoe. Unresisting or not, Lets you do as you will; With bathing or feeding, The long day to fill. Is that what you're thinking, Is that what you see? Then open your eyes nurse, You're not looking at me. |
| I'll tell you who I am, As I sit here so still, As I move at your bidding, As I eat at your will. I'm a small child of ten ... With a father and mother, And brothers and sisters Who love one another. A girl of sixteen, With wings on her feet; Dreaming that soon, A lover she'll meet. A bride soon at twenty ... My heart gives a leap; Remembering the vows That I promised to keep. At twenty-five, I have young of my own, Who need me to build A secure and happy home. A woman of thirty, My young now grow fast, Bound together with ties That forever should last. At forty, my young ones Have grown up and gone; But my man is beside me To see I don't mourn. At fifty, once more ... Babies play 'round my knees; Again we know children, My loved ones and me. |
| Dark days are upon me, My husband is dead ... I look at the future, I shudder with dread; For my young are all rearing, Young of their own, And I think of the years And the love I have known. I am an old woman now, Nature is cruel, 'Tis her jest to make old age Look like a fool. The body, it crumbles, Grace and vigor depart, There is now a stone Where I once had a heart. But inside this old carcass, A young girl still dwells, And now and again My battered heart swells. I remember the joys, I remember the pain, And I'm loving and living Life over again. I think of the years ... All too few, gone too fast, And accept the stark fact That nothing can last. So open your eyes nurses, Open and see ... Not a "Crabbit Old Woman, "Look closer ... see "Me." |
| Who is really inside? |
| The Poem by ~ Phyllis McCormack ~ God Bless Her |
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| �The Lady with the Lamp� |
| Florence Nightingale, 1820�1910, the founder of modern nursing. Her life was dedicated to the care of the sick and war wounded. In 1844, she began to visit hospitals; in 1850, she spent some time with the nursing Sisters of St. Vincent de Paul in Alexandria; and a year later she studied at the institute deaconesses in Kaiserswerth, Germany. In 1854, she organized a unit of 38 woman nurses for service in the Crimean War. By the end of the war she had become a legend. She established (1860) the Nightingale School and Home for training nurses at St. Thomas's Hospital, London. She was called �The Lady with the Lamp� because she believed that a nurse's care was never ceasing, night or day; she taught that nursing was a noble profession, and she made it so. |
| IF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER (By ERMA BOMBECK) I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained and the sofa faded. I would have eaten the popcorn in the "GOOD" living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace. I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth. I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed. I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage. I would have sat on the lawn with my children and not worried about grass stains. I would have cried and laughed less while watching television and more while watching life. I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I wasn't there for the day. I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't show soil or was guaranteed to last a lifetime. Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment realizing that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle. When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, "Later. Now go get washed up for dinner." There would have been more "I love you's" and more "I'm sorry's" but mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute.....look at it and really see it ... live it ... and never give it back. |
| In memory of "Erma Bombeck" who lost her fight with cancer. |
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| "The Noble Profession" |
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| GRADUATION After three years at The Holy Cross School of Nursing, gradution and the beginning of a noble career and a Holy Nurse was equipped with skills and discipline to getting on with life. Frightening as it was at the time ,it has proved invaluable thoughout a busy life. |
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| Other angels touch us with heaven's loving light when we're consumed by darkness. They lift our spirit when we're feeling down, when everything seems hopeless. They remind us that everything will be all right. They're there for us when the road seems too rough to travel. They're always at our side, even during the worst of times, reminding us of our many blessings, and urging us not to lose faith. |
| If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it. If He had a wallet, your photo would be in it. He sends you flowers every spring. He sends you a sunrise every morning. Whenever you want to talk, He listens. He can live anywhere in the universe, but He chose... your heart. Face it friend, He is crazy about you! |
| "The genius of life is to carry the spirit of childhood into old age." "Lord, when we are wrong, make us willing to change. And when we are right, make us easy to live with." "God wisely designed the human body so that we can neither pat our own backs nor kick ourselves too easily." "It is strange that in our praying we seldom ask for a change in character, but always a change in circumstances." "Good manners are made up of small sacrifices." "Little progress can be made by merely attempting to repress what is evil; our great hope lies in developing what is good." "The tragedy of life is not that it ends so soon, but that we wait so long to begin it.� |
| When I was in my younger days, I weighed a few pounds less, I needn't hold my tummy in to wear a belted dress. But now that I am older, I've set my body free; There's comfort of elastic Where once my waist would be. Inventor of those high-heeled shoes My feet have not forgiven; I have to wear a nine now, But used to wear a seven. And how about those pantyhose- They're sized by weight, you see, So how come when I put them on The crotch is at my knees? I need to wear these glasses As the print was getting smaller; And it wasn't very long ago I know that I was taller. Though my hair has turned to grey and my skin no longer fits, On the inside, I'm the same old me, Just the outside's changed a bit. |
| There were ten people hanging onto a rope that came down from a helicopter. Nine were men and one woman. They all decided that one person should get off because if they didn't the rope would break and everyone would die. No one could decide who should go... so, finally, the woman gave a very touching speech saying how she would give up her life to save the others, because women were used to giving up things for their husbands and children, giving in to men, and not receiving anything in return. When she finished speaking, all the men clapped. |
| "Start Sooner" |
| Never Underestimate "The Power Of A Woman" |
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Although it's quite a statement Well, it happens to be true The best friend I have ever had I'm glad to say, is you. You're there if I should need you And you never turn away I know I can depend on you At any time of day |
| We've had our ups and downs As nearly everybody does But problems never last for long With special friends like us. Some people have so many friends With whom they spend their time But no-one has a best friend Who's as wonderful as mine. So thanks for always being there Your friendship's strong and true And I just want to let you know I'm always there for you! |
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| "BEST FRIENDS" |
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| Page 4 Noble Proffession |
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