This semester was my first semester of clinical, and throughout my time there I made a difference in a patient’s life. My very first patient is the one I impacted the most. Not only did I make a difference in his life, he made a difference in mine. He was the first patient I gave a shower to, the first patient I interacted with. From the first clinical to the last I was able to spend time with him and give him his showers. I sat with him while he ate lunch, we bonded over our love for the Red Sox. During my clinical experience he was the patient I looked forward to seeing the most every week. I loved going back and continuing our conversations from the week prior. He told me about his upbringing, and I learned how he likes to take his coffee, how he likes to sit in a certain spot for lunch. He made me promise that when I was leaving I would say goodbye to him first because no one ever said goodbye to him. Not only did this patient make a difference in my life, I impacted his too because he had no visitors, no one to talk to, I gave him someone to talk to and a hand to hold, a friendly face once a week who would come sit with him while he ate lunch. He was very sad to learn that my clinical was over and that I would not be back, but he appreciated the time we spent together and the help I provided for him.
