I am a registered nurse. When I was in nursing school I remember studying the healing power of touch. I never fully understood it until now...
I was on the exam table in the office of the colorectal surgeon, in a very uncomfortable position, enduring a very uncomfortable exam. The nurse reached out and touched my arm. It was a very small gesture, but it spoke volumes to me. That touch instantly transmitted peace to me. It told me that they recognized I was still a person and not just a cancer diagnosis. It told me that they were standing with me. It told me that they understood I was uncomfortable and that they would do what they could to make it the least uncomfortable possible. It told me that they cared. The power of the human touch...
I was lying face down on the radiation table, again in an uncomfortable position, listening to people I couldn't see move and work around me, getting more nervous by the moment. The doctor entered the room, walked to the table and placed his hand on my head as he spoke to me. Again, a small gesture; again, a huge impact. He sees me as a person. He recognizes that I'm scared. He imparts courage to me... with the simple touch of his hand.
What a powerful lesson for me.
"And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them." Mark 10:16
Hi Laura...
ReplyDeleteI was thinking about the eating program you were on ( Biggest Loser..can't remember the name of the diet)...I remember you saying at the woman's group that you had not lost any weight but that you had so many other benefits from the program....cardivascular....etc....seems to me that God was working even then, before you were diagnosed to get you ready for this journey you are on....I am praying for you to have the LEAST amount of discomfort as possible and a FULL recovery as quickly as possible. With love...Vickie Dismuke
Wow! Thank you for allowing God to speak through your journey. Our family of five is headed to Swaziland this Friday on a medical missions trip and I needed to hear this lesson. Incredible, but simple. I think of the 120,000 orphans there and those dying of AIDS, and now I am praying that even our Christian "touch" will impact them and comfort them.
ReplyDeleteLaura -
ReplyDeleteI was in tears yesterday as I learned of your new journey. You are such an inspiration to me as you exude grace, peace and wisdom. Brad and I are covering you in prayer as part of your "symphony." We pray for your COMPLETE recovery and no discomfort whatsoever from now on. Thank you for your post about the healing power of touch. As a nurse (and a patient a couple of years ago) the human touch can mean so much. We love you so much.
Carmen Broussard
Thank you for the reminder! Touch is so powerful isn't it? I was at church last night and one our pastors reminding us that not all touch is equal so to be mindful how we do touch others! Even though you have not touched me physically, you have touched me spiritually! Thank you for being so insightful, candid, funny and for sharing that with us all through your blog!
ReplyDeleteA verse for you today:
ReplyDelete1 Peter 1:7, "Pure gold put in the fire comes out of it proved pure; genuine faith put through this suffering comes out proved genuine. When Jesus wraps this all up, it's your faith, not your gold, that God will have on display as evidence of his victory." (MSG)
Keep looking to Him. Victory and faith are built one moment at a time. Nicole
Sweet Laura, I continue to pray for you and yours, daily. I thought of your words on touch the morn. I visited my 35 year old son last week and as we sat talking in the car, I began to rub his arm. His response "it is so good to be touched.
ReplyDelete"if I can touch Him I will be healed." Matt 9:21
I know you are reaching out to touch His robe. I can see it, I can feel it.
I love you, Marilyn Lewis
Dear Laura,
ReplyDeleteYou are so brave to share your story with others. Your writing is inspirational and I see a best selling book being published when this part of the journey is finished. Counting the days with you. Love & Prayers, Debbie Berg-Swaton
Dear Buddy, You called today and then I read your blog. This entry touched me deeply and left me in tears because when we hung up the phone I felt I had not done enough to comfort you....did not know how to comfort you. I am so glad that those attending to you and those that love you are reaching out to provide you with the love, comfort, kindness, faith and expertise to heal and soothe you. All my prayers and all my positive thoughts are with you.
ReplyDeleteWith Lotsa Love,
Joanie