Healing together

When you’ve had two back surgeries in high school after being misdiagnosed for a year and a half, the medical trauma you carry with you and must heal from is great.

One of my biggest triggers is being put under for procedures. So, make no doubt I was honored and grateful to spend Saturday morning with the Missouri Association of Nurse Anesthetists for their fall meeting because it has been many nurses, especially CRNAs, who have been my comfort and grounding over the years.

I was told they had never brought in a speaker like me. That they aren’t used to interaction and would probably be pretty quiet.

I had someone walk up to me after the first two hours and say that when he read the description of my session, he knew it would be fluff BS. And with tears in his eyes, he admitted how wrong he was and how badly everyone needs to hear me and this work. I had another participant say on my way out that she was dreading four hours on courage, except it went so fast and was so good.

I knew they’d be tired and beyond burnt out. I simply wanted to love on them, thank them, and teach them some skills to navigate what is a very difficult work landscape for them.

What I didn’t expect is that we’d all heal a little bit more together.