Sedation Shenanigans!

A couple things come to mind when I see this image. This is a clip of me in recovery attempting to dress myself. I told the nurse and my daughter-in-law (Hailey) I could dress myself. After a few moments, Hailey asked if I was done, I told her yes. Hailey looked at me giggling at the sight. My hoodie was on backwards, pants unzipped, and the hospital sock barely hanging on! At the time, I had no idea where my socks and shoes were, I was excited about getting the hospital socks. I can only imagine how she felt. Probably like the parent of a toddler in the beginning stages of dressing themselves.

Hailey and I are nurses, we are not strangers to the effects of sedation. Patients say and do things they wouldn't normally say or do. Patients may be giggly, like me, or combative. Medical staff understand patient reaction(s) vary, accepting it may be good or bad. No matter what a patient says or does (funny or unkind), medical staff continue to provide care non-judgmentally. You never know how your body will react to sedation until your time comes.

Isn't that true about life? It's easy to say you would do this or you wouldn't do that. However, when your time comes, your reaction(s) may surprise you. Perhaps you would do everything right, what about your family? I've always felt it was best to keep quiet about someone's situation. Primarily, because I don't have the details. Even if I did, I don't know the depth of anyone's circumstance. God's word is clear about judging.

Don't pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults - unless, of course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging. Matthew 7:1,2 Message.

Shouldn't people love and care for you in all circumstances, withholding judgement, like the medical staff?

When a brother or sister falls, we are called to love, not condemn. We are commanded to love. A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. John 13:34 NKJV

There is no greater feeling than when love covers sin. When a patient unknowingly takes off their clothes and walks down the hallway, medical staff run to cover the patient. We too, should run to our brothers and sisters who fall short providing truth, love, and care. Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 3:8 ESV

Perhaps the patient harms or injures the medical staff, they continue to care for the patient and ensure the safety of others. We too, should look after our church family. This one is a little harder but we are called to love when a brother or sister offends us. Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers all wrongs. Proverbs 10:12 NIV

A last thought before we judge or withhold love.

If I speak in tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends...So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13: 1-13 ESV