[2] I don't know if you've ever had to pee in a bed pan, but let me tell you, it's a vulnerable moment. You are weak & embarrassed & malodorous & greasy-haired & you're crouching half-naked like fucking Gollum, trying to work out your angle. Who helps you? https://twitter.com/AdiraBennett/status/1391094918421037062

[3] A nurse helps you. And they treat you with dignity & respect. They show no horror at having to touch your unwashed, sickly body to help you sit up. They whisk away your plastic pee bucket with no grimace, no sneer.

[4] It's nurses who bring you warm blankets, carefully administer your medications, ask if you're in pain, hold your hand & gently rub your back & say, "It's okay, hon. Just let it out," while you cry & vomit & gasp for air. It's nurses who do the hands-on hard work of healing.

[5] These people work for hours on end, risking the dangers of contagious diseases & agitated patients, often in environments that are very understaffed & very overwhelmed. Every day, no matter what, they make the lives of their patients at least a tiny bit more bearable.

[6] To every nurse out there: I am one of the humans whose life you have profoundly touched. I see you. I honor you. I appreciate even the most thankless of your daily tasks. I am sending you all my truest wishes for strength, comfort, peace, & love. [END OF THREAD]