1/
#WhatsYourWhy
RN1: “I’ve known her since she was carrying them babies!”
RN2: “I’ve known her since she had all black hair and was fresh out of residency!”
*laughter*
Me: *patting my hair* “Well, if she knew me pre-grey, we have a winner for sure.”
We all laughed again.
#WhatsYourWhy
RN1: “I’ve known her since she was carrying them babies!”
RN2: “I’ve known her since she had all black hair and was fresh out of residency!”
*laughter*
Me: *patting my hair* “Well, if she knew me pre-grey, we have a winner for sure.”
We all laughed again.
2/
For me, they’d both become woven into the fabric of the Grady I know and love. Experienced nurses who’d already been around the block a few times before I even arrived back in 2001.
I was always happy to see them.
Always.
For me, they’d both become woven into the fabric of the Grady I know and love. Experienced nurses who’d already been around the block a few times before I even arrived back in 2001.
I was always happy to see them.
Always.
3/
RN1: “You have a patient here?”
Me: “Yes, ma’am.”
RN2: “Yeah, that’s my patient today.”
Me: *pretending to leave* “Oh, YOU have my patient? I’m good then.”
*laughter*
Even with her caramel complexion, her eyes told me that she was blushing from the compliment. I smiled.
RN1: “You have a patient here?”
Me: “Yes, ma’am.”
RN2: “Yeah, that’s my patient today.”
Me: *pretending to leave* “Oh, YOU have my patient? I’m good then.”
*laughter*
Even with her caramel complexion, her eyes told me that she was blushing from the compliment. I smiled.
4/
She gave me an update on my patient and some of her own insights. I listened carefully, nodding. I realized how much I loved the rhythm of her Caribbean accent.
And how much I loved both of these nurses.
RN2: “He’s going in the right direction, I think.”
Me: *nodding*
She gave me an update on my patient and some of her own insights. I listened carefully, nodding. I realized how much I loved the rhythm of her Caribbean accent.
And how much I loved both of these nurses.
RN2: “He’s going in the right direction, I think.”
Me: *nodding*
5/
I sat on the desk and reached out to touch them—one who was sitting behind the nurses station at a computer. And the other who was standing with her elbows resting on the counter.
Me: “Okay, aunties. How are y’all feeling about the #COVIDVaccines?”
They exchanged glances.
I sat on the desk and reached out to touch them—one who was sitting behind the nurses station at a computer. And the other who was standing with her elbows resting on the counter.
Me: “Okay, aunties. How are y’all feeling about the #COVIDVaccines?”
They exchanged glances.
6/
“Aunties.”
The affectionate name I’d come to call these senior nurses who’d cared for me since first arriving at Grady. They wore it like a badge of honor, too—often bursting into lighthearted arguments about who knew their “niece” first.
I knew they loved me, too.
“Aunties.”
The affectionate name I’d come to call these senior nurses who’d cared for me since first arriving at Grady. They wore it like a badge of honor, too—often bursting into lighthearted arguments about who knew their “niece” first.
I knew they loved me, too.
7/
RN1: “It’s too soon. I don’t want to end up in some group law suit because I grew a third eyeball.”
*laughter*
Me: “Okay, just so I’m sure—is that really what you think?”
RN1: “That I’ll grow another eye? No. But like. . . that I’ll get some cancer from it?”*shrug*“Maybe.”
RN1: “It’s too soon. I don’t want to end up in some group law suit because I grew a third eyeball.”
*laughter*
Me: “Okay, just so I’m sure—is that really what you think?”
RN1: “That I’ll grow another eye? No. But like. . . that I’ll get some cancer from it?”*shrug*“Maybe.”
8/
RN2: “That cancer part is real! I have breast cancer in my family and that’s why I said no.”
Me: *listening*
RN2: “People got that shot and it made them have an abnormal mammogram after.” *shaking head* “That’s scary.”
Me: “Did someone tell you that, auntie?”
RN2: *nodding*
RN2: “That cancer part is real! I have breast cancer in my family and that’s why I said no.”
Me: *listening*
RN2: “People got that shot and it made them have an abnormal mammogram after.” *shaking head* “That’s scary.”
Me: “Did someone tell you that, auntie?”
RN2: *nodding*
9/
RN2: “But I read it, too.”
I thought for a beat on how to respond. Then I combed my brain to see if I’d heard this before.
A lightbulb went off.
I think I’d heard of something similar to this from someone.
Yup.
RN2: “But I read it, too.”
I thought for a beat on how to respond. Then I combed my brain to see if I’d heard this before.
A lightbulb went off.
I think I’d heard of something similar to this from someone.
Yup.
10/
Me: “I wonder if they’re describing someone with a lymph node under their arm after? That can probably look funny on a mammogram.”
RN2: “I think they did say that.”
I pulled out my phone and punched it into a Google search. This was the first hit.
usatoday.com/story/news/hea…
Me: “I wonder if they’re describing someone with a lymph node under their arm after? That can probably look funny on a mammogram.”
RN2: “I think they did say that.”
I pulled out my phone and punched it into a Google search. This was the first hit.
usatoday.com/story/news/hea…
11/
I skimmed what I saw—most were from seemingly reputable sources.
Me: “Yeah. Looks like it was axillary nodes. But I do know someone who had a scare like that so I get the concern.”
RN2: “Did everything turn out okay with her?”
Me: “It did. But it was scary.”
I skimmed what I saw—most were from seemingly reputable sources.
Me: “Yeah. Looks like it was axillary nodes. But I do know someone who had a scare like that so I get the concern.”
RN2: “Did everything turn out okay with her?”
Me: “It did. But it was scary.”
12/
Me: “That said, I think she’d tell you to still get a vaccine.”
RN2: *listening*
Me: “There’s nothing about what’s in this vaccine or how it’s given that makes me think it can give you cancer.”
I looked back to RN1.
Me: “But, you’re right. It WAS fast.”
Me: “That said, I think she’d tell you to still get a vaccine.”
RN2: *listening*
Me: “There’s nothing about what’s in this vaccine or how it’s given that makes me think it can give you cancer.”
I looked back to RN1.
Me: “But, you’re right. It WAS fast.”
13/
Me: “And the truth is—even if I tell you all about how it got developed, that doesn’t erase that it was quick.”
RN1: “Exactly.”
Me: “But.”
They both trained their eyes on me.
Me: “But—#COVID19 gave them no choice but to work fast. It’s killing us fast, too.”
*silence*
Me: “And the truth is—even if I tell you all about how it got developed, that doesn’t erase that it was quick.”
RN1: “Exactly.”
Me: “But.”
They both trained their eyes on me.
Me: “But—#COVID19 gave them no choice but to work fast. It’s killing us fast, too.”
*silence*
14/
Me: “I was in the Moderna trial. Or rather, I’m still in it.”
RN1: “Really?”
Me: “Yup.”
RN2: “You wasn’t scared?”
I thought about that question.
Me: “I’m scared of COVID, auntie. I’m scared of coming on this unit and hearing that it took somebody I love—like you.”
Me: “I was in the Moderna trial. Or rather, I’m still in it.”
RN1: “Really?”
Me: “Yup.”
RN2: “You wasn’t scared?”
I thought about that question.
Me: “I’m scared of COVID, auntie. I’m scared of coming on this unit and hearing that it took somebody I love—like you.”
15/
Me: “I wasn’t personally scared of being vaccinated. But I get why a lot of folks are.”
RN1: “Thank you for saying that.”
*silence*
Me: “I’d be sad if you got sick from this.”
RN1: “I’d be sad if something happened to you, too, Dr. Manning.”
Me: “I wasn’t personally scared of being vaccinated. But I get why a lot of folks are.”
RN1: “Thank you for saying that.”
*silence*
Me: “I’d be sad if you got sick from this.”
RN1: “I’d be sad if something happened to you, too, Dr. Manning.”
16/
We sat in silence for a few moments. . . probably imagining how we’d respond to the news if that did happen.
RN1: “You gave me thinking about it different. So thank you.”
RN2: “Me, too.”
Me: “I’m so glad. And I’m happy to chat about it whenever. ‘Cause y’all my aunties!”
We sat in silence for a few moments. . . probably imagining how we’d respond to the news if that did happen.
RN1: “You gave me thinking about it different. So thank you.”
RN2: “Me, too.”
Me: “I’m so glad. And I’m happy to chat about it whenever. ‘Cause y’all my aunties!”
17/
We all laughed and, against my better COVID judgement, I gave them each a quick hug.
Me: “I’m so glad I’ve got to work with y’all for all these years. I love you both so much.”
To which they both said, “We love you, too.”
And I knew it was true.
We all laughed and, against my better COVID judgement, I gave them each a quick hug.
Me: “I’m so glad I’ve got to work with y’all for all these years. I love you both so much.”
To which they both said, “We love you, too.”
And I knew it was true.
18/
Fear about fast development.
Concern of an abnormal mammogram—which CAN happen.
These were their whys.
Theirs.
Conversations rooted in love and longevity. Such low hanging fruit that we forget too often.
I love my Grady aunties so much.❤️🏥👊🏽
#BlackWhysMatter
Fear about fast development.
Concern of an abnormal mammogram—which CAN happen.
These were their whys.
Theirs.
Conversations rooted in love and longevity. Such low hanging fruit that we forget too often.
I love my Grady aunties so much.❤️🏥👊🏽
#BlackWhysMatter
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