Everyone is home in my eyes. by Sarah
Sarah's entry into Varsity Tutor's February 2024 scholarship contest
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Everyone is home in my eyes. by Sarah - February 2024 Scholarship Essay
I've had the unique privilege of shadowing nurses and doctors at a local hospital. Observed cases ranging from the common cold to heart attacks, witnessed colonoscopies in the GI lab, learned how to operate the shock machine in the cath lab, and conducted tests on blood samples. Speaking with nurses and doctors about their careers was inspiring, making me realize that love makes medicine unique.
I have recently been gaining hands-on experience as a CNA partaking in shifts at a local nursing home as a training Nursing Assistant. My experiences in the hospital, as well as my mother's cancer diagnosis, coincided. My mom was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer in August of 2022 when I started shadowing at the hospital. Many people use drawing or playing music as a coping method, but seeing that she was not alone in her journey was inspiring. The lessons I learned in my medical training helped me work through my mother's illness and understand it better.
Nothing can prepare you for seeing a patient die for the first time in front of you. Nothing can give you the dignity to give someone a bed bath comfortably. But we do it because we are different kinds of souls.
The past two years of my medical training have enriched my life. I have had the opportunity to support patients in their best moments and accompany them during their weakest times. Some highlights include playing cornhole in the physical therapy unit, a patient in the ER thanking me profusely for getting them water and helping a patient get into her wheelchair while telling me she loves Barbie. Everyone deserves a fighting chance at a better life, and my purpose is to hold their hands through their journey to health and prosperity.
Everyone is home in my eyes.
When I am with a resident in the nursing home, I'm also a ten-year-old girl. My dolls scattered around me, their hair in dire need of some brushing. In the kitchen, my mom prepares dinner, the aroma of her cooking dressing the air. Meanwhile, my dad is engrossed in a football game, exclaiming vehemently at every touchdown. It's a typical evening; it's perfect—complete and utter peace. While shadowing my favorite doctor, the sun shines on my six-year-old self as I frolic in the backyard, my furry companions by my side. The wind in my hair as I ride my scooter, I venture into undiscovered territories, conjuring up new places in my imagination. My dogs happily follow along, barking in delight.
I am lucky enough to have established my home beyond location. I have shadowed several hours at my local hospital, witnessing the miracles and what we wished would be miracles with medical staff sent from heaven. I am training to become a certified nursing assistant at a nursing home, and every day, I strive to make the residents feel at home, just as they do for me.
My desire to pursue this field is rooted in my fierce love for my residents, who tell me about the mundane but enticing things they experience daily. Every conversation is a moment to connect with someone, learn something new, and appreciate the human connection's beauty. When an older man talks about the score of a baseball game or when a woman shares her style advice, these moments remind me of the joy and fulfillment that comes from being engaged with others.