The Radio

I know as a social worker, humility is one of the foremost traits to have. It isn't about me, the social worker, and what I do...it is about the patient/client/family and how they may improve their lives. But, every once in a while, something that I do might make a person happy. And I think it is okay to take pride in that.

I was in a care conference for a patient with my team from hospice and the team from the facility where he lives. He had gone through a tough time recently, showing signs of depression from his illness, so our team rallied together and tried to figure out ways to improve his quality of life. He has very few possessions and I noticed he didn't have a radio. I asked him if he would like one and he said he loved music-turns out he played the saxophone in his earlier days. So, I went off to Target, bought him a little $20 radio, took it to him, plugged it in, and he jammed out to the jazz station as I was leaving.

In our meeting the other day, the nurse said that he just loves this radio. I guess he takes it with him wherever he goes, plugs it into a an outlet, and listens to the jazz station. She said she heard music coming from the front room in the facility and there he was, in his wheelchair looking out the window, with the radio in his lap. I suppose I find it heart warming to know that this little gesture has meant something to him, and I didn't just buy it for him because I felt like he needed music.

I am transitioning out of my internship as I prepare for graduation and I am going to miss the patients and my colleagues. It has been a really special learning experience for me, and there have been countless times a patient or family member touched my heart. The radio scenario tells me I am walking away having touched the heart of at least one patient.