"What do you do?" Part II

OK.  So there's been a bit of some time in between part one and part two, but all for the sake of learning!  A typical day in my life of a Chaplain at a hospital is quite varied, as I suggested in the other post. 

Here's what my day is often quite full of:

Me being awkward. 

Me having lots and lots of feelings.  

I can't emphasize the feelings business.  Praise the Lord that we have plenty of time and willing hearts and ears to hear about said emotions. 

If you change phone to pager, this is an accurate statement of what happens more often than I would like. Who would have thought all those times in the early 90's when I was jealous of my mom's pager, I would be getting one! My heart does weird palpitations when the pager goes off, and sometimes, I do go to bed praying the pager won't go off.  But it does.  And when it does, you do what you need to do to make sure the needs of the patient/family/staff are met.  It's good problem solving/triaging skills.

 

We write quite a bit.  Between charting for our patients, copious amounts of email communication, and writing a verbatim, there are so many words.  SO. MANY. WORDS.  And I normally love words.  But, I'm just kind of overwhelmed with all the words.  The talking, the writing, the reading, the talking some more, and then writing some more.  It's not always hard per se, it just often seems overwhelming. 

I pray a lot. THIS IS NOT A BAD THING.  Just an observation.  And it's often "off the cuff whatever is in your head and heart" kind of prayer.  Sometimes after I pray, I'm not a 100% sure exactly what I have said.  I ask patients if there is anything I can pray for specifically, and my heart just melts sometimes with responses.  Some mornings I feel the Spirit ever so present and at work.  And even on the mornings I don't "feel" it, I know the Spirit is at work in ways I can't imagine. 

(I would change this image to say, "Can I pray with you?", I'm more of a "with" person than a "for".)

 

More often than not, I get rejected when I walk into a room or ask if they would like a prayer.  I don't take it personally (for the most part).  I just realize I am one piece of the many pieces that make up a bigger puzzle picture.  In our CPE group, we use the image of planting seeds.  In this way, it is much like working in youth ministry.  You plant seeds and aren't ever really sure how they will take root and grow.  Sometimes you're blessed to see fruition come of ministry, but often times you just continue praying and holding them in your heart. It's a humble reminder that it's not about you, and God works in wondrous and mysterious ways, ways I will often never get to see. 

 

I hold hands more than I ever imagined.  This is one of the most powerful things I do at work.  Holding hands with a stranger takes some vulnerability on both parts.  I can relate with many patients in needing a hand to hold.  Most of the touch they receive here at the hospital is not at their request - it's blood being drawn, poking and prodding, and can be quite invasive.  While we all want healing of our bodies, it often does come at a cost.  I see patients who yearn for wholeness in their bodies yet tremble at the thought of another needle, another exam, another surgery, or another test.  I often joke in pre-surgery with patients that Chaplains are the one group of people at the hospital who will ask nothing of them - not even a signature!  To be responsive and accepting of the simple touch of a hand, the patient has the power to decide what they want - a power that often has been taken away while in the hospital. 

(Sometimes when joining hands with people, it can get a little awkward.)


Chaplains do many things. We help with Advance Directive and Medical Power of Attorney paperwork. We help with Decedent care paperwork.  We greet families in waiting rooms, we grab extra blankets for cold patients, we offer prayer or we sometimes offer jokes.  We meet patients where they need to be met, and we do it in the name of the One who calls us. 

When I enter a room, I pray that God will allow me to love this child as God loves them - unconditionally, with compassion, and remembering that they indeed are part of God's good creation.

 

The other day I decided I felt a bit like Patch Adams (without swimming pools of spaghetti). For the most part, I have the luxury of time to sit with patients and hear their stories.  In fact, that is one of my favorite parts of the job - hearing people's stories - honoring them and allowing them a safe space to share. 

 

So, I hope you feel you have a bit more insight into what exactly I do here at the hospital.  Every day is different, bringing new challenges and new blessings into my life.  It can be chaotic and tiring, but too can be calm and comforting.  Some days are uglier and smellier than I would like, but than some days the beauty and wonder of life are ever present.

All I can ask of each day is that God uses me as God's instrument.