Touched By Angels of Mercy
small doses of genuine life by nurses, patients, and caregivers
by
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Wounds Heal from the Inside Out--So Does the Heart and Soul! As humans, we feel the need to share personal experiences with one another. This process can be healthful and therapeutic. The strength, knowledge and inspiration that comes from sharing personal life and death experiences stimulates healing. This collection contains small doses of genuine life, from nurses, patients and caregivers, that will touch the heart and foster healing. Many of these stories and poems offer a glimpse into the nurse-patient relationship. Chapters include: The Power of Love, Pearls of Wisdom, Reflections of Gratitude, Models of Persistence, Acting on Faith, Little Angels, Until We Meet Again. The readers will: treasure the musings of a loving daughter as she and her family enlist the help of hospice nurses, prayer, and a couple doses of laughter to care for her terminally ill mother; chuckle as a gentleman describes his speedy delivery by a nurse on horseback; revel in a pediatric oncology nurse’s unique approach to make sure her young patients never stop being kids; and grieve with the parents of a young baby who loses his battle for life. Nurses and caregivers reach out and become “angels” for others. They provide intelligent, compassionate, hands-on care to help the sick to heal, or comfort them as they die. The term “angel of mercy” is not exclusive to nurses, however. Healing “angels” come in various forms. At some point in our lives, each one of us will encounter illness, pain and eventual death. Along with it will come the need for the gentle, caring touch of a helping hand. When people are hurting, they have a compelling need to be touched and nurtured, as well as to recount these events. Writing these stories has been a therapeutic experience for the authors, and for some, a painful task. It is their hope that these real-life stories will touch your heart and foster healing, and perhaps even inspire you to become an “angel” for others.
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About the Book
Touched by Angels of Mercy contains small doses of genuine life, from nurses, patients and caregivers, that touch the heart and foster healing. This collection of short stories and poems, interspersed with tasteful cartoons, contains helpful resource information, as well as a brief biography of each contributing author.
Many of the works in this collection offer a glimpse into the nurse-patient relationship, as seen through the eyes of the patient, nurse or family member. Some of the stories reveal caregiving scenarios taken from brief moments in history, behind prison walls or even on a golf course.
Anyone may be labeled an "Angel of Mercy." This term is not exclusive to nurses. Our world needs the healing "angels" who come to us in a variety of forms, when and where we least expect them. At some time in our lives, each one of us will encounter illness, pain and death. Along with it will come the need for a helping hand and the gentle, caring touch of an "angel of mercy."
Everyone has the ability to be courageous, tenacious and loving. When people are hurting, whether from illness, injury or other reasons, they have the instinctive need to be touched and nurtured.
People also have the need and desire to share their experiences with others. This process of sharing is frequently healthful and therapeutic. The strength, knowledge and inspiration that comes from recounting personal life and death experiences with one another stimulates healing.
The profession of nursing deals with the prevention of illness, as well as the care and rehabilitation of the sick. Although it takes a special person to answer this "calling," today´s nurses are vastly different from those of yesteryear. The changing world of healthcare has created unique challenges and added pressures for nursing, but it has also created new frontiers.
In addition, there is a growing number of caregivers in our society. Caregivers often feel isolated, apprehensive, exhausted and overwhelmed. They desperately need relief as well as ongoing support.
Nurses and caregivers reach out and become "angels" for others. They are compassionate, intelligent and caring beings that provide hands-on care to help the sick to heal, or comfort them as they die. Nurses and caregivers are not invincible; they also need to take care of themselves.
The need to be touched by another, and to share personal experiences, are universal human requirements. The strength, knowledge and inspiration that comes from recounting personal life and death experiences fosters healing. Wounds heal from the inside out--so does the heart and soul.
Writing these stories has been a therapeutic experience for our authors, and for some, an extremely difficult task. It is our hope that by reading and sharing these real-life, personal experiences, you too will be touched, inspired and healed.
About the Author
Laura Lagana is an author, professional speaker and retired registered nurse who enjoys writing and speaking about real-life experiences and healthy inspiration. She is a former member of the National Speakers Association, American Nurses Association, National Association of Orthopaedic Nurses, National Nurses in Business Association, Pennsylvania State Nurses Association, Bryn Mawr Hospital Alumnae Association and Delaware Literary Connection. Her nursing experiences include medical-surgical, intensive care, rehabilitation and orthopaedics. During the last seven years of her clinical nursing career, she specialized in orthopaedics and attained orthopaedic nurse certification. Laura also has over 35 years of gratifying volunteer endeavors. She can be reached via e-mail: LauraALagana@Yahoo.com.