The hole in Jeba’s heart made her weak and sickly. In and out of hospital as a child, injection after injection, you would expect her to hate the sight of a nurse. Instead, a seed was planted that grew into a passion to serve others through the healing ministry.
Hole made whole
In what seemed like a miracle, she was healed without an intervention when she was 13 years old. Now nothing could get in the way of Jeba’s ambition to be a nurse. She was overjoyed to be selected for training at CMC. “You should never charge a patient for a service,” her mother told her. “It’s ok to charge them for the syringe and the medication. But never for the service. Especially the poor!”
Jeba looks back with a smile on her nursing training. She has memories of hiding at the back during gory operations and fainting when watching an amputation. She was terrified at the sight of blood!
“You should never charge a patient for a service,” her mother told her. “It’s ok to charge them for the syringe and the medication. But never for the service. Especially the poor!”
Sorrows and Joys
Jeba has never regretted choosing nursing as a career. She has seen people die in front of her, but nothing can match the feeling of watching a patient recover. She witnessed a paralysed man leave the hospital walking after a successful spinal operation way back in 1999 (she can still remember his name!). She is inspired by the the care and compassion of the doctors, the way they listen to her and trust her to take decisions. Jeba says, “Apart from learning new skills and growing in experience, we see so many lives touched. This keeps us going!”
Heart of compassion
The pandemic has brought new responsibilities and risks. Right now, Jeba is again caring for patients on one of the Covid wards. The work is exhausting and unrelenting, but the need is so great, and she is glad she can make a difference.
Jeba’s heart is full of love as she tends to the suffering, reaching out a healing hand that takes away pain, loneliness and fear. “We will come out of it stronger.”
Your chance to say thank you
Nurses’ week is a chance to celebrate these lamp-bearers, and it is all the more relevant coming right in the middle of the devastating “second wave”.
If you know a nurse, spare a minute to call and tell how much you appreciate their work. Share a story of how a nurse made a difference in your life in your social media handles. Don’t forget to tag us on Facebook @cmcvelloreindia and Twitter @OffCMCVellore with #thankanurse.
