November 2
I commonly hear my husband get frustrated with two types of people in his workplace. First, the ones that are prideful and won’t admit they don’t know everything. Second, ignorant people that don’t realize they have only skimmed the surface of a topic. In either scenario there is an unwillingness to learn new things and it tends to hinder their work. Hearing him talk about this made me realize that there is an application in caregiving.
Let me quickly list some things I learned through daughter’s care:
Congenital heart defects as it relates to HLHS
How to measure oxygen saturations; give oxygen at home
Learn about the Norwood, Glenn, and Fontan surgeries
How to give shots of a blood thinner
Feeding a child with thickened food, later with a g-tube
This list could be (much) longer to include tidbits from NICU, PICU, different hospitals, etc. Many of you can probably relate to this sentiment. There have been countless new experiences from which to glean information by our end-of-watch.
But I have a word of caution: be honest with yourself about what you know and what there is to learn—in all of life.
Somewhere around the end of my first year caregiving I would joke that I was ready for my nursing certificate any day. I had become a near-expert in my daughter’s specific case, however that did not mean that I was an expert in all congenital heart cases, or even all HLHS cases. My college roommate was a nursing student. I saw the things she was studying and I don’t have that same information tucked away!
Reading in Proverbs always reminds me that there is a difference between knowledge and wisdom. Let’s all remember to seek wisdom from the one who knit us together, the giver of all life; the Great Physician. As it says in Proverbs 2 “if you seek it (wisdom) like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.”
Prayer for today:
Heavenly Father, thank you for giving wisdom when I seek it. Help me to root out pride in my life that is keeping me from knowing you more. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
