A chronically ill, tired, angry, frustrated and frankly anguished patient had simply had enough of life that afternoon. He kept turning in bed saying he wanted to just die and be free, he was even asking doctors and nurses if there was anything they could do to just kill him because he was suffering, they tried calming him down but he will have none of it…of course nobody was going to kill him anyway. They called the clinical psychologist as they feared he will attempt taking his own life, but even before anything could be done, something interesting happened.
This overzealous nurse intern from Garden City University was assisting to administer medicines that afternoon. She smartly pushed her trolley to this “wanna die” patient’s bedside. In her clinical white dress, cap, breast watch, red and blue pens, sharply painted lips and serious no nonsense demeanour, am sure she looked just like the angel who will help this man to his goal of dying.
She pulled out her rather big plunger out with an equally menacingly long needle, drew her medicine under the very nose of the wide eyed patient, raised it into the air to show to Jesus first as she expelled some air from it, tapped it with her fingers and shook it from side to side. The patient couldn’t take it any longer, he started screaming, “why? do you want to kill me? I won’t take this injection, you want to kill me, look at the needle”.
The laughter was unimaginable even by other patients. This is a man who has been begging to be killed all day, and now scared of an injection cos it might kill him? even potential ghosts are sarcastic ain’t they?
Death is inevitable, yet when it beckons we are horrified even when we believe we are prepared for it. Thank God for life today, and while you’re at it, ask him to prepare you for your final rest. Pray also for those who have had to face far more horrifying deaths than from looking at a needle, they would have escaped it if they could. And most importantly don’t forget to be humble. Live each day like it’s your last on earth, and when that needle comes, you just may stare at it bravely and say “Abba father”.
