Why Cleveland?
This summer has flown by, to say the least. I have finished week 7, and it's been about a month since I posted my first blog--I did this for a few reasons. The first reason actually comes down to being all over the place and busy, and I never thought that working 40 hours a week would be as exhausting as it has been (my body is slowly shutting down and rejecting the energy and liveliness that one should possess while in their early 20s). The second reason stems from traveling a bit and purposely not bringing my laptop with me just to get a little break from working on a computer almost everyday. Finally, the third reason for putting this off until now was because I wanted to write after my parents came to visit for my dad's 6-month exams, which all leads into the background of this post. With that being said, this digs a little deeper into why I'm here and doing what I'm doing.
I'm going to start off by saying that my dad is relatively reserved (unless of course you've seen him on my Snapchat more recently--he has no choice but to put up with me trolling him and I think he's finally come around to the spotlight) and he does not know I am posting this, nor do I think he would mind knowing why I am. In December of 2014, my dad sat my brother and I down to tell us that they found a mass the size of a baseball in his kidney after he was lucky enough to experience the symptoms. The reason I say lucky is because renal cancer as well as many other cancers can remain asymptomatic up until they are in the more terminal stages. As my brother and I processed this information I was overcome with emotions of fear, anxiety, anger, and sadness. My dad handled this situation with poise and remained extremely level-headed by explaining to us that he had already looked into resources and did his research on hospitals for a second opinion. He left the choice up to Adam and I: to choose Cleveland Clinic, which has been nationally known for being the best in nephrology/urology, or to stay local and have the procedure. Now, each choice came with pros and cons as do all decisions, but what it came down to was waiting to see the surgeon in Cleveland, pushing back the procedure, and prolonging the feelings of fear of living with a large, cancerous tumor. The other option was to go ahead and have the total nephrectomy near us, which raised concerns for my dad who is still young and active; this would lead to issues later on if he did happen to have kidney problems. So, we decided to take the second opinion and have the procedure to remove the tumor at the Clinic.
During this time of heightened-emotions and stress, my aunt passed of cancer. I think the most difficult thing for me to deal with was my lack of control in these situations, but it is not uncommon for humans to struggle with things that are out of their control. What was worse was that I was beginning my second semester at Purdue and I was physically away from it all, going through a breakup, and there was no way for me to be in Cleveland as he underwent his surgery. I felt relatively helpless and alone because it was hard enough to talk about it with the people closest to me, let alone come to terms with it myself. Luckily, my mom and family were able to be there with him, which put me at ease. Even though I had never visited this institution or met this group of doctors, I trusted this group of medical professionals, who were ranked number one in the nation, and who have continued to uphold the best standard of care.
After the procedure, my parents both talked about how positive of an experience they had at the clinic, from start to finish. As a nursing student, I couldn't help but be curious as to why this is. Moreover, I was just extremely relieved and thankful that they took such great care of my dad. From the surgeons, nursing staff, and so on, my parents were able to see first hand how the Clinic emphasizes "Patients First," not only as their motto, but through their model of care. Although I was not able to experience the clinic until the summer after my dad's surgery, this experience resinated within me enough to want to be apart of a system that is leading in medical research, technology, and nursing care. So, after shadowing my dad's surgeon a couple of times during his 6-month exams, I began to feel and see how this institution was able to turn negative diagnoses into second chances (or more), hopeful experiences, and positive outcomes.
As I applied for extern programs this past year, I began to ask myself how I want to make a difference in other people's lives, where I want to continue my career while I'm not in school, and in what environment do I want to continue to grow and evolve as a nurse and caregiver. I saw myself at Cleveland Clinic expanding on my education and challenging myself mentally, emotionally, and academically. So far this summer, I have been blessed working on a great unit with exceptional mentors who are awesome at teaching and are one-of-a-kind nurses. Might I add, everyone on the unit stemming from the HUCs, environmental services, case management, and so on have been extremely wonderful and welcoming. I have gained a new understanding of what it means to be a nurse and to advocate for your patient. Additionally, I have been able to meet individuals and families
from across the nation and of various backgrounds who have continued to show me how important it is to be versatile, empathetic, and compassionate not only as a nurse, but as a human as well.
So, I am going to wrap by sharing what I have learned the most this summer other than new nursing skills:
Being present and listening is one of the most beneficial ways of connecting with another person and truly making an impact on their time with you. This can be said for various circumstances, but I have reflected the most on this because it is so easy to be caught up in the busy routine as a nurse. I have seen and will continue to see people at their most vulnerable point in the their lives, and I believe it's vital to remember everyone has a backstory as to how they got to where they are today, whether that's positive or negative. How you treat others ultimately fosters an environment that is a reflection of yourself. Genuine outcomes and experiences are made (regardless of the circumstances), when we stop, listen, and take the time to show we care. I am beyond thankful that I am learning in a institution that emphasizes these things, and has continued to have a profound affect on my family in many ways. Come week 10, I will be sad to leave, but I will carry forward everything that I have learned.
On that note, I can happily say that my dad remains cancer free.
And this is why I chose Cleveland.
During this time of heightened-emotions and stress, my aunt passed of cancer. I think the most difficult thing for me to deal with was my lack of control in these situations, but it is not uncommon for humans to struggle with things that are out of their control. What was worse was that I was beginning my second semester at Purdue and I was physically away from it all, going through a breakup, and there was no way for me to be in Cleveland as he underwent his surgery. I felt relatively helpless and alone because it was hard enough to talk about it with the people closest to me, let alone come to terms with it myself. Luckily, my mom and family were able to be there with him, which put me at ease. Even though I had never visited this institution or met this group of doctors, I trusted this group of medical professionals, who were ranked number one in the nation, and who have continued to uphold the best standard of care.
After the procedure, my parents both talked about how positive of an experience they had at the clinic, from start to finish. As a nursing student, I couldn't help but be curious as to why this is. Moreover, I was just extremely relieved and thankful that they took such great care of my dad. From the surgeons, nursing staff, and so on, my parents were able to see first hand how the Clinic emphasizes "Patients First," not only as their motto, but through their model of care. Although I was not able to experience the clinic until the summer after my dad's surgery, this experience resinated within me enough to want to be apart of a system that is leading in medical research, technology, and nursing care. So, after shadowing my dad's surgeon a couple of times during his 6-month exams, I began to feel and see how this institution was able to turn negative diagnoses into second chances (or more), hopeful experiences, and positive outcomes.
As I applied for extern programs this past year, I began to ask myself how I want to make a difference in other people's lives, where I want to continue my career while I'm not in school, and in what environment do I want to continue to grow and evolve as a nurse and caregiver. I saw myself at Cleveland Clinic expanding on my education and challenging myself mentally, emotionally, and academically. So far this summer, I have been blessed working on a great unit with exceptional mentors who are awesome at teaching and are one-of-a-kind nurses. Might I add, everyone on the unit stemming from the HUCs, environmental services, case management, and so on have been extremely wonderful and welcoming. I have gained a new understanding of what it means to be a nurse and to advocate for your patient. Additionally, I have been able to meet individuals and families
from across the nation and of various backgrounds who have continued to show me how important it is to be versatile, empathetic, and compassionate not only as a nurse, but as a human as well.
So, I am going to wrap by sharing what I have learned the most this summer other than new nursing skills:
Being present and listening is one of the most beneficial ways of connecting with another person and truly making an impact on their time with you. This can be said for various circumstances, but I have reflected the most on this because it is so easy to be caught up in the busy routine as a nurse. I have seen and will continue to see people at their most vulnerable point in the their lives, and I believe it's vital to remember everyone has a backstory as to how they got to where they are today, whether that's positive or negative. How you treat others ultimately fosters an environment that is a reflection of yourself. Genuine outcomes and experiences are made (regardless of the circumstances), when we stop, listen, and take the time to show we care. I am beyond thankful that I am learning in a institution that emphasizes these things, and has continued to have a profound affect on my family in many ways. Come week 10, I will be sad to leave, but I will carry forward everything that I have learned.
On that note, I can happily say that my dad remains cancer free.
And this is why I chose Cleveland.
My biggest supporters. I love you both.
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