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Chaplain Joan M. Keiser on “the rest of the story”
Being thankful . . .
As I was leaving the Neuro-Trauma Intensive Care Unit recently, I encountered a gentleman in the hallway who appeared to be lost. He was looking for the ICU but recalled it had been downstairs. Someone sent him to the third floor. I assured him this was the unit he was looking for and that we had moved due to construction at the hospital.
He began to tell me who he was and that his son had been a patient in the unit thirteen years ago at the age of sixteen. He told me about his son’s accident and his injuries. He also told me that the staff had saved his son's life.
He said that his son is doing well and that he has his own landscaping business. He was so filled with gratitude. He said the doctors indicated that his son would not live – but he did. He said they told him his son would never walk again – but he does.
He is planning to take his son on a trip to Egypt soon.
I contacted the Nursing Director so he could hear this story and the thankfulness that the father was expressing. The father again told his story and the Nursing Director listened intently as he also experienced the father’s thankful heart. None of the present staff were in the unit thirteen years ago, but the Nursing Director said he would tell those who would recall taking care of his son how well he was doing and how the care they provided was appreciated.
Gratitude! Thankfulness! What a wonderful thing to come back after thirteen years and tell “the rest of the story.”
The father told me that he had prayed so hard for his son to live and nothing seemed to happen. He then prayed saying, “God, whatever happens, I will accept it. You love my son, too.” The next day, his son opened his eyes.
I was reminded of the scripture that relates to the healing of the ten lepers. Only one of the ten lepers came back to say “thank you” to Jesus after being healed. It is so touching when former patients and their family members come back to give us an update on their progress and to say “thank you” for the care they received.
Hopefully, we will all practice the habit of taking time to say “thank you” daily. G. K. Chesterton said it well: “We need to get in the habit of taking things with gratitude and not taking things for granted.”
Chaplain Joan Keiser has been the chaplain at St. John's Hospital, Springfield, MO, for the past 10 years, and is currently serving part-time as a pastor of the Rogersville United Methodist Church in Rogersville, MO. She completed her four units of CPE at St. John's Hospital. Joan has a certificate of Religious Studies from Loyola Institute for Ministry, Loyola University, New Orleans. She is a Certified Lay Speaker and is commissioned as Lay Missioner with The United Methodist Church, Missouri Conference. She is currently in Licensing School to become a Licensed Local Pastor with the United Methodist Church. Her areas of hospital ministry are: Neuro-Trauma ICU, Neuro-Intermediate/Stroke Center, Breast Center, and Endoscopy. Joan also serves on the Springfield Stroke Coalition and is a member of the Mid-America Transplant Collaborative for Organ Donation, representing St. John's Hospital. She is currently applying for Board certification. She is married, has two children and six grandchildren.
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