Live Like You Are Dying

While I know that I am still learning a lot about nursing, I had completely forgotten that I am still pretty stupid when it comes to life in general. I guess even though I graduated from school, there are still many things to learn here and there ;)
My patient was an elderly man who just happened to be one of the most interesting patients I will probably ever take care of. While he was passing through the area, he blacked out and fell while getting on the bus and ended up in the hospital where his day got much better because he got to meet me! ;) As I was talking with him, I became intrigued very quickly. This man had done so much with his life.
 He had been to every continent and all the states in the US. As if that was not enough, just last year, he had climbed Mount Everest and the year before he had fought bulls in Spain. He was doing all this while he was well past the age of 80! Needless to say he became the patient that I spent the most time talking to that night. However, as I was talking to him, I found out that he had no family or friends. He had been a loner for most of his life and his family really did not try to stay in contact. The saddest part is he was being treated for recurring cancer and the end was near.
He could tell that I was a little disheartened to hear this. He grabbed my hand and stared into my eyes, “Don’t despair for me. My life has been good and every minute has been exciting and lived to the fullest…so instead despair for the empty moments in your life”. As the night wore on…I became busy and was not able to spend much more time talking to the patient, but I could not shake the words that he had spoken. These words have stuck with me and made me resolve to live my life to the fullest extent so that I can have few and far in between regrettable moments.

"I've had my moments, days in the sun.  Moments I was second to none.  Moments when I knew I did what I thought I couldn't do.  Like that plane ride coming home from the war.  That summer my son was born.  And memories like a coat so warm, a cold wind can't get through.  Lookin' at me now you might not know it.  But I've had my moments" -Moments, Emerson Drive-