Thread by @jsparkblog

A patient was yelling at someone, then at me. I had a few options.

1) Call security.
2) Keep walking.
3) Go confront him.
4) Go find his nurse. (The RNs love this. But really. They don’t.)
5) Ask him what he needed.

You might have guessed I picked 5. Here’s what happened:

I got up as close to this patient as possible—now my patient—an arm’s length. Just out of striking distance. I asked, “What do you need right now?”

No kidding, his mouth hung open. He stared at my hair. Back to me.

“Hungry,” he said. “I’m hungry. But I mean, I need real food.”

“Okay,” I said. “Are you NPO? Sorry. I meant, do you have any dietary restrictions?”

“No sir, I don’t,” he said. “I am the opposite of dietary restrictions. I am dietarily open-minded.”

“How about a hamburger and fries?”

“For real? You for real? Can I get two of each?”

He told me his story. He went to the ED which he thought would be a quick trip, but it turned into a week. He said the hospital food reminded him of prison food. He didn’t mind the hospital. But he didn’t like it reminded him of prison. He had cried himself to sleep every night.

Normally I don’t buy food for patients. But hearing his story—what else could I do? I checked with the nurse. “Got enough burgers for the floor?” she asked, only half joking.

I went to grab his food. He almost lunged at the bag. Finished a burger right in front of me.

And he told me between bites:
“Chaplain, believe it or not, but I’ve stayed at the Ritz. And this right here is the best burger I’ve ever had in my life.”

“I believe you,” I told him.

“Thanks, chap. That’s all I wanted.”

#hospital #chaplain [Some details altered for privacy.]