Lessons in the Lemons: A Journey From Patient to Practitioner

Lessons in the Lemons

My path to becoming a nurse practitioner was not a straight line.  It was a winding road, paved with unexpected challenges, immense resilience, and a profound understanding of the human spirit. It began not in a classroom, but in doctor’s offices, hospital beds, MRI machines and operating rooms. 

From suffering a spinal cord injury and re-learning how to walk, to thyroid cancer my senior of high school- my years on the other side of the exam table were many. 

But amidst the storm, a flicker of hope ignited.  The compassionate care I received from nurses, doctors, and therapists instilled within me a deep respect for the profession and a desire to make a similar impact on others facing their own struggles. I wanted to pay forward the kindness and compassion that had sustained me, and utilize my experiences to serve as a beacon of hope for others. 

My experience as a patient not only fueled my determination, but allowed me to understand the physical and emotional toll of illness and injury, and helped me to empathize with my patients on a level that many healthcare providers may not possess.

Now, as a nurse practitioner, my unique background shapes every aspect of my practice and I approach each patient with empathy, understanding, and the unwavering belief in the power of resilience. My patients find solace in knowing that I understand their struggles on a personal level, and that I approach their care with a profound understanding of the challenges they face.

These are my lemons and the lessons I learned- It means taking personal healthcare experiences and allowing them to mold you into a more compassionate and comprehensive health care provider. 

And one thing I have seen on my journey is that many other health care providers have their own lemons, too. Whether they themselves were the patient, or it was a loved one. Somewhere along the way, my fellow nurses, nurse practitioners, physicians and so on, have experienced their own struggles on the other side of the exam table. 

It is these personal challenges that have shaped some of the greatest health care providers I’ve ever met, because they don’t just treat diseases, but they treat the entire person– body, mind, and spirit.

What's your lemon-to-lemonade story?