This is Clive', or CJ as his friends and family know him. CJ is one of those very special patients that will not be forgotten, and deserve serious mention.
He came to our unit (CICU) and is being worked up for a few issues. CJ is legally blind... and very VERY shy. He is 19 years old. To say that the past several years of his life have been hard would really be an understatement.
But look at this smile. That smile only peeked out a few times, but with this smile, CJ could move mountains. I really hope that he one day sees himself in the same sort of lovely light that we saw in him. He was very worried about pain, and felt scared. I was there when he got his PICC and thereby was able to see just what a lovely young man he is.
Yesterday was Easter. CJ had no family to visit him. I had some easter candy I was going to offer up for the night shift, I decided (knowing that I might be in trouble, but oh well...) to make him an Easter Basket. I was lucky enough to find a basket that suited in our cabinets, and proceeded to fill it with as many goodies as I could find. I carried it over to CVC and presented it to CJ. Now, imagine that smile with the light of lots of candy...chocolate...jelly beans....! That hug he gave me made up for all those exhausting nights working, those back to backs that made my head pound. Thank you CJ...for making my last day as a Tech one of my best days.
So, I will look at CJ's picture in the coming months, and this will help me remember why I am walking down my path. Because it's this smile that makes everything worth it.
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