Everyone, meet Debbie.
She works in the hospital’s kitchen, and you can tell she LOVES her job. For her, it’s not just a job, but it is miracle work. By bringing you food, she is bringing you the nourishment of life itself; and she has a palpable pride and gratitude in what she does. And I can say that she was possibly more saddened than me when I couldn’t eat food. When she had to take away the food that the kitchen had brought me not seeing the doctor’s orders…it fully broke her heart.
So today, as I brave through trying another meal that hopefully doesn’t bring me pain…I was more eagerly anticipating the return of Debbie than I was the food itself.
She was fighting tears bringing my breakfast to me. I don’t even know if she knows my name, but she does know how important this meal is.
What she didn’t know, however, is that over the weekend, one of my nurse assistants taught me how to say “thank you” and “see you soon” in Debbie’s native language of Amharic, an Ethiopian language.
She was speechless. One of those glorious moments when you realize how important and powerful humans are to each other. When I asked if I could take her picture and post it online she said “YES!” faster than someone being asked out by their celebrity crush. I asked if she wanted a hug and she squeaked with excitement and told me she loves me.
Humans really are incredible. Debbie especially.
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