This International Nurses Day we wanted to share a poem with you written by our Palliative Care Nurse Specialist, Louise Smith.
“My heart aches a little right now,
I said goodbye to you today,
I hid my tears behind my smile,
As I turned and walked away.
I’ve cared for you for many months,
I’ve listened to your fears,
I’ve helped you create some memories,
And wiped away your tears.
We talked about what you wanted,
And the importance of getting you home,
I’m proud I helped you achieve this,
You didn’t want to feel alone.
I knew I couldn’t change the outcome,
Knew I couldn’t keep you here,
But it’s always sad when a life ends,
We always shed a tear.
Babe, you’re not my first patient,
And sadly you won’t be my last,
But you’ve touched my heart in many ways,
And I thank you for that fact.
I admire you for the courage you’ve shown,
And thank you for the lessons you’ve taught,
This job is tough at the best of times,
But I’ve learnt from the battle you fought.
I hope you find some peace and joy,
I hope you find some love,
You’ll inspire me caring for future teens,
I hope you watch me from above.
So it’s time to turn the tears off,
It’s time for me to be strong again,
There’s lots of other families in need,
And I need to help ease their pain”.
Today, we would like to thank Lou and all of the incredible Care Team at Claire House, who go above and beyond every day to care for seriously ill children and their families. 💛💚💙💜
