We are Precious in His Sight
By Cindy Muron
Four years ago I met a young 38 year old man named Ryan in the hospital, where I was working as a palliative care nurse. Ryan was just told he only had a few weeks to live that morning by his oncologist. He has been battling stage IV colon cancer for several years. He was suffering from widespread intractable pain and I was asked to see him to help manage his pain.
I walked into a dark room, Ryan was curled up in a fetal position in the bed. My heart was filled with compassion. I introduced myself and asked Ryan to tell me about his pain, completing a detailed assessment. He was suffering. I promised Ryan we would get his pain under control. I asked him if he was at peace with God. He looked away and then said, “I was not always a good person. I was wild in my 20’s and early 30’s, my mother had to look after my son. You have no idea.” He told me he was raised Catholic. I asked him if he would like the Blessing of the Sick. He replied, “No way.” I told him he was precious in God’s sight, and that God is more merciful than we could ever imagine. I told him God was more concerned about where he was going rather than where he has been. I explained the Blessing of the Sick just might be “his ticket to heaven.”
Ryan then told me he was a single dad of a 12 year old son. He said he had arranged for his mother to adopt his son. He said his son was very close to her and he knew he would be in the best care. “I can’t imagine leaving my son,” he said.
I told Ryan I would speak to his doctor to increase his pain medications and would be back to see him in the morning. I asked him if there was anything I could do for him before I left. He said “No.” As I was walking out of his room he called me back. He said, “There is something you can do for me. Call the Padre, I need one of those tickets.”
I was able to get a young priest to see Ryan. He came that day and at least every other day when Ryan was moved to hospice. I never stopped praying for Ryan. I hope he was able to experience God’s tremendous gift of peace before he passed away.