Chaplain Jeanne

Patient was eating her food when I arrived. She said all was fine other than her fries were hard. I told her she could get them reordered. She did not want to then felt bad that she complained. We still had a good conversation. She shared hoe she knew two sisters who one died when she was 102 who had been well all her life. All of the sudden one day she started acting funny and could not get out the door, and got sick going down physically rapidly. The other sister who was 100 years old did the treadmill at her age. I barely get by now.

Saw a patient who said she had lots of trouble. Her daughter who was 16 and pregnant ran away to another state to find who she thought was the father who was 14 years old. This patient shared how she had lost her godmother since she had been in the hospital and was unable to attend the funeral clue to begin in the hospital. She had also lost two other family members the same year. Had prayer with her and listen to her painful journal.

Met a lady who said she was Jewish. She did not want the chaplain to pray with her just to keep her in prayers. She said she used chaplains as much as she could for prayers. She believes in prayers.

Another patient asked me what was wrong with her. She said she did not understand the doctors. Staff told me she did that she was going to die. Earlier the patient told me that she did not want to die in the hospital, yet staff told me she turned down hospice when they came. Her blood flow is not going to her heart and she had bad circulation. She was upset and crying. I gave comfort what I could and had prayer with her. She wanted the chaplain to visit again the next evening.

Met a couple ladies in a critical unit who were crying over a young girl who was the step daughter of one of the ladies. She said she had lost her home, and the boyfriend had moved in with her. Now all was gone. The girl had overdosed with medication and was not doing very well by the looks of her. The family had already lost one baby due to a train that hit their house and killed the baby and two other people in the home. They did not feel the family could take any more loss. I had prayer and gave encouragement. The patient was young yet looked far beyond her years.

It is in times like these, there is not much you can do other than listen, be present, pray, and give words of encouragement. I do what I can and must leave the rest with Someone who has greater power than I. There will be time when I take some home with me in my heart and pray for them.

Power Theme VBS » Ministry Resources for Children's Workers

Power Theme VBS » Ministry Resources for Children's Workers

Chaplain Jeanne

Normally, due to hospital concerns, Chaplains do not pray in Jesus name. The reasoning they have is to be inclusive of all people and religions. I close in prayer with “Your Holy Name” normally. Recently, I began saying, “In Jesus name” when ending in prayer. Today, I walked into the room of a patient I have visited in the past with her two sons and have had some good visits. This time I prayed in Jesus name. A guest who was present handed the patient some bread in a container and said, I brought you "Jewish Bread". Oh my, I thought and got to smiling thinking about what I had done. The patient did not seem effected harmfully about it - so maybe all is well.

Visited a man today who said he prayed to God. I offered to pray and he accepted. When I said "Amen" The patient beside him said, "Amen". I got to talking with him as well and found out one was a Baptist and the other a Pentecostal. It was interesting. I said it was not the religion, but the relationship we have with God. The one said he agreed.

It was so sweet to walk into the room of a young mother who had her baby with her. The baby was 3 weeks old. The mother was having some other physical complications and was keeping her baby in the hospital on her room during the day time. Someone was coming to take the baby home at evening so she could rest. He had a full head of beautiful dark hair.

Interesting Comment Made

I thought this was interesting when visiting one patient. I asked patient if he had peace with God. One of the Guest who was present said the patient was an immigrant and did not understand idioms and that you had to talk straight with him. I prayed the Lord’s prayer and added some additional prayers in support for the family.

Chaplain Jeanne

I walked into the room of a blind man who was stretched out lying flat on his back who had been discouraged. He told me the nurse walked into his room and asked him to shower. He asked did he smell, She said no, but you will later. He had been doubting God and shared how God had told him it was for those who persevere to the end who will go to heaven. He said it was not by works that we will get to heaven and that God sent Jesus to earth without any assurance that anyone would accept him. The blind man share much more about the bible, and how he was trying to memorize Psalm 91. He asked me if I had a bible and I told him I could quote some scripture from memory. I quoted some for him. He seemed to be encouraged in the Lord before I came, but did say in the conversation and that God used people to help at times. It was a good visit of encouragement to probably both of us.

One Patient I visited in a Behavior hospital; was sharing with me about some kind of financial issues (not sure the whole story) and little difficult to understand the story. It seemed very difficult for him to tell me and I was worried and did not want him to overdo it emotionally. He was a few years older than me. I shared how God owns the cattle on a thousand hills. He said he would do some soul searching during his time there. I handed him a scripture care which he tool eagerly and begin reading immediately while I waited. I had prayer with him which he expressed appreciation. I felt very humbled and concerned for him.

I met one lady who asked if God could forgive every sin. I told her he would. She voluntarily told me her sins that troubled her. She prayed weeping and confessing out loud her sins more than once. After praying, she mentioned some as if she had forgotten from a child. I told her we are not responsible for those. All she had to talk about was sexual sins and I assumed it was child abuse (an assumption on my part - mistake). She wanted to know if God forgave her. I told she was forgiven according the Word. She must have faith and thank God. She had so little faith and needed encouragement to trust.

I visited a blind lady (appeared she was). I did not want to ask her if she was blind. She did not understand about how Satan worked it seemed. I shared the story of how he was put out of heaven and how he works on our minds now. Staff had told me she was lonely and frightened before I went. She did not seem frightened to me - maybe in need of some spiritual encouragement and comfort.

Paged for family and patient - talked to a husband, patient and the patient’s sister. The patient was not doing well and neither were the other two. When I went into the patient's room, I spoke to her and she opened her eyes several times. I spoke to her about her spiritual matters and prayed. I went out to speak with the husband and he sister-in-law. They both had tears in their eyes and the husband was very upset. He had served in the air force many years and his wife had raised their two daughters. He was home maybe 2 days out of each month. I did not sense any guilt here. He did not want to make a decision to withhold from her as he had seen what this was in the hospital many times. I had prayer with them. I was so thankful to be able to pray and talk with the patient before she was more comfortable and less responsive. This husband shared how wonderful the unit was toward him and the care they gave bringing him coffee. He was very impressed. He thought it was a good unit. We talked about airplanes and his flying as a pilot.