Nurse Papa Teaches Lessons on Life and Death

 Title: Nurse Papa; 16 Meditations on Parenthood From a Pediatric Oncology Nurse

Author: David Metzger

Publisher: Genz Publishing

Publication Date: August 17, 2021

Length: 175 Pages

About the Author
David Metzger has worked as a pediatric oncology nurse at UCSF Children’s Hospital for twelve years. He is the father of a young son and daughter. The bravery, laughter, perseverance, and the many smiles of the children and their parents who he has worked with have inspired this project.
You can visit the Nurse Papa blog and the Nurse Papa podcast at www.nursepapathebook.com

Life as a Nurse and Papa
David Metzger writes about the lessons that he learned about life and death as a pediatric oncology nurse. He uses his experiences at work to gain insight and understanding of his role as a father to two young children. His life at work and at home intertwine to form a wonderful collection of the author's most cherished memories.

My Thoughts

It is not natural to talk about children and cancer in the same sentence, but Mr. Metzger has dedicated his life to caring for children with cancer. He writes about some of his most memorable patients and the valuable lessons he learned from them. 

I could tell that the author was growing as a person and becoming more compassionate and empathetic as the book progressed. He gives credit to his patients for teaching him to live and die with dignity and grace. He credits his children for teaching him to live in the moment and appreciate all that life has to offer.

There are some very emotional stories in this book because many children with cancer do not survive the disease. The author focuses on the celebration of life instead of the sadness of death. 

This book was well-written and I am glad I read it. I now have a new respect for all the superheroes who wear a nurse's uniform.

MY RATING: 5 STARS OUT OF 5

FYI - I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

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Handmade Nurse Get Well Card

Click on image to enlarge.

I made this colorful get-well card for a special person in my life who will be having surgery tomorrow. I hope it puts a smile on her face and lets her know she is in our thoughts and prayers.

The base for this card is a blank Strathmore card that measures 5" by 7".

I chose the digital stamp "Nurse" from Mo's Digital Pencil to feature on the front of the card. I printed the image on white cardstock and hand-colored it with Copic Sketcher markers and Winsor & Newton Promarkers/Brush markers. I love to mix and match my alcohol markers.

I used digital paper from A Happy Place II by Ephemeras Garden on Etsy for my background. I love the bright colors and collage elements in this design. I printed the digital paper on matte photo paper using my HP photo printer and Instant Ink. I have a large collection of patterned papers in my stash, but I really like the vibrancy of digital paper. 

I added a distressed sentiment "thinking of you" to the top of the card.

I will enter this card in the following challenges:
Crafting With an Attitude Challenge #53
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends Challenge #110
Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge #281

Thank you for visiting my blog. Please FOLLOW and share your thoughts in the COMMENTS SECTION below.

Book Review: Mama Lives In My Hair

Four-year-old Celia Johnson is counting the days until her mother comes home from serving as an Army nurse in the Middle East. "Mama Lives in My Hair", by Merri Hiatt, is a 12-page short story that tells the poignant story of love and loss from a child's point-of-view.



About the Author
Merri Hiatt grew up in a small town near Shasta Valley in Northern California. Upon moving to the Pacific Northwest in Washington state, Merri fell in love with the mountains, ocean, rain and lush greenery.
Merri credits her high school creative writing teacher with giving her the nudge to pursue writing, and she's been writing ever since. She has written 11 books and they are all available in ebook format at Amazon.Com.

A Military Family
Lt. Mark Johnson is taking care of four-year-old Celia while his wife is serving as an Army nurse in the Middle East. The little girl marks a red X on the calendar for each day that brings her mother's homecoming a little closer.

Mark knew that his wife was in a dangerous area but he was looking forward to her return in less than two months. He was not prepared for the knock on his door and the presence of two Army officers with grim expressions on their faces. They told him that his wife had been killed and handed him a letter. The letter was from his wife and began, "If you're reading this letter, you know I am dead. Well, I'm not dead, my physical body is dead. You and I both know our spirit is what matters and my spirit is alive and well, whole and complete. I hope you can hold on to that fact."

Mark had the difficult task of telling Celia that her mother was dead and would not ever be coming home. He had been reading her the classic children's book "The Velveteen Rabbit" and Celia remembered the book said, "When you become real, you can't become unreal."

Celia knew that her Mommy was still real and with her. She realized that her mother's spirit was like the breeze and she lives in her hair. She knew that her mother's spirit would never leave her.

My Thoughts
This poignant short story is an excellent reminder of what military families have to deal with. The story brought tears to my eyes and is a very realistic account of the death and grieving experience. The author did a very good job writing about a difficult subject.

My Rating: 5 Stars Out Of 5

FYI ~ I ordered this ebook from Amazon.Com when it was offered as a free digital download. Please check the price before ordering.

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.