THE LIFE AND LESSONS OF A WOUND, OSTOMY AND CONTINENCE NURSE, CHAPTER 5

To read the previous chapter, click here.

By Janis E. Harrison, RN, BSN, CWOCN, CFCN

I've come to enjoy my blogging. I always hope there is a tidbit in each of my monthly installments to help someone, somehow. Today started my vacation. My blog has twirled in my mind now for days as I have attempted to get everything done before leaving on vacation.

It's been a harsh summer. I have cared for my parents in their home over the past five years. This past February, Mom had a stroke and we found her in the back yard shortly after a fall. She was trying to feed her cats, God bless her, but that led to an increase in their care these past six months. Six weeks ago she fell in the middle of the night. She didn't have her alert around her neck and Dad didn't discover her until morning. She had broken her back.

I have been at a dead run now for nearly six weeks with my practice, my parents in the hospital and now having transitioned into a care center. In there somewhere we had a son get married. I just finished the polishing of my first national speaking engagement to be given at Wild on Wounds (WOW) in Las Vegas next month.

I share this honestly with you as my new friends. In the back of my mind I wanted to just skip the blog this month. Then, that little thing called conscience began to whisper in my ear. I wouldn't have been honest with you. But, what would be my message?

My message is this my friends. One of the hardest things to say is, "Help me." There are times when you simply have to stop. Reach out. Admit you need a shoulder to lean on for a moment. Never feel inadequate or embarrassed when you need to reach out.

I am reaching out today to you and my husband. I need him and the vacation we are on to refill my cup. I promise to be back next month re-energized and ready to continue the story of how I became a WOC Nurse. If you are in Las Vegas next month, stop me and say hi. Enjoy the rest of your summer. God bless.

About the Author
Janis Harrison is the CEO and owner of Harrison WOC Services, LLC, which offers contractual Wound, Ostomy and Continence (WOC) services for hospitals, long-term care facilities and home health across Northeast Nebraska. Harrison has had numerous poster published, is a writer for Advanced Tissue's newsletter and is currently involved in developing health care documentation applications for WoundRight Technologies, LLC.

The views and opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of the author, and do not represent the views of WoundSource, Kestrel Health Information, Inc., its affiliates, or subsidiary companies.