How has Nursing Changed My Life - Eric Walker

How nursing changed my life:

My decision to become a nurse was mostly financially driven, and I knew that as a nurse I would always have employment opportunities. However, while I was still taking general prerequisite classes I began having severe intractable “cluster type” headaches, debilitating back problems and I started having a great deal of trouble ambulating, to the point that I had severe muscle wasting and severe lower extremity weakness. It was soon discovered that I had a severe “Arnold Chiari Malformation” which required a posterior craniotomy to correct. After the surgery I was released and soon developed a complication which required a second craniotomy. I was off of work for a year and spent the better part of that year learning how to walk again. Throughout this time I continued to take classes which propelled me into nursing school.

During my first year of nursing school, my best friend and a man who was like a brother to me, had been diagnosed with liver cancer. After going through my struggles and major life changes, and witnessing the kindness and compassion that my nurses had shown to me, I felt that the only decision I could make for my friend was to give him my liver. However, his cancer was to advanced and had metastasized and I was unable to donate to my friend, and 6 weeks later he passed away.

During my third semester at nursing school I began having trouble with an elevated White Blood Count; they were running 3 times higher than normal. Multiple tests shown nothing and everything pointed towards leukemia. This was difficult news but I decided to continue through nursing school. Two long weeks later I was sitting in class and I got a call from the lab, I excused myself from class momentarily to take the call, my results were negative for CML. When I returned the entire class focused upon me, and when I revealed my good news, the entire class and faculty all came cheered and came through shaking my hand and gave me hugs.

The day before graduation the faculty was handing out scholarships for those who had applied, and I hadn’t applied. However when they got to the last scholarship the Dean announced that every year a scholarship was awarded to the student that they felt most represented St. Mary’s School of Nursing’s morals and values. When my name was announced I was in shock, it took a moment to sink in that they were talking about me. I obviously had to excuse myself from the room for a few moments in order to compose myself.

I hadn’t really noticed over the last 4 years that all of these instances had changed me so drastically. What had started as a dream of a well-paying career had evolved into something bigger than me. I had learned empathy from my surgeries, compassion from my nurses. I had learned to be more giving from my best friend who was dying of cancer. I had learned what it meant to root for, and be rooted for by being a part of a team.

These are just a few small ways that Nursing has changed my life, and I hope I’ve changed for the better. I no longer see myself that looks at my nursing for the financial gains which it can bring. I look at it as what can I bring to the patient.