Becoming an LNA By: Angeline J Hemple

Becoming an LNA

By: Angeline J Hemple

My story in a nutshell on why I feel I am who I am today. When I was a child, I noticed I always had a sensitive side, mostly with Animals. Where I grew up the kids were not so nice so I stuck to myself a lot. But I wanted to be sweet and cheerful and I felt sad because I couldn't be those things. I was told I had to be tough, Not to show my sensitive side so other kids wouldn't think different of me. I lived basically in a wooded area growing up and it was full of life. A place where I could be me. I pretended to be a doctor and would go in the woods and build a fort from whatever I could find. When I finished my task, I would go find nature animals, knowing how dangerous it could be. But I didn't see it like that. I always knew there is a danger in whatever it is you do. But I was not afraid. And that’s where I found my first patient, a baby bird that fell out his nest by the river. I knew the rules if you touch it, mom would not care for it. So I waited to make sure it stayed out of danger and mom still didn't come back. So I gathered a bunch of stuff from the forest, mostly feathers and leaves. I put my mittens on and gathered the stuff around the baby and placed it back in the nest, I then waited in the tunnel by river to see if mom came back, after 30 min she showed up with a worm and fed the two babies. I felt relief it was safe. I walked away like I saved the world. Then I found baby bunnies or chipmunks in its mouth and saved them from the beast. I felt like this I could get used to. It kept me busy and made me forget about anything negative that may have been around me. I just loved caring for life, it didn't

 matter what kind. Even bugs, I didn't want them hurt. I had to feel the need to rescue them and get them someplace safe. Since then I've always been a person to care and sometimes too much. I didn't realize until after my son was born and seeing for myself what it was like to see what I would be in my future. My Son was born with a disease called Severe Combined Immune Deficiency Disorder. He had to be placed in a hospital ASAP in a natural Air Room. Nobody was allowed to see him but his parents. Then we had to be dressed up like 2 aliens to protect his immune system. During all my sons procedures he had to get chemotherapy to wipe out remaining immune system. It was the worst nightmare. During all this, I learned that this was me as a child doing what all these amazing Doctors and nurses are doing there taking care of my son. I felt so good inside that people out here love my child and care deeply enough to do what it takes to make him well. As things got more complicated, I expressed to the medical staff toward a meeting we had at the bone marrow transplant unit in Boston that I wanted to be the one to care for my son. I wanted to give him his constant medications around the clock and feed him through his NJ Tube “AKA” Nasoduodenal Tube, change his bandages from surgery and bathe him and do his exercises. It felt like it was natural to care for someone. Even more so knowing that was your own child. I feel like his experience of me working with him up to the day he lost his battle was the most amazing feeling that I did my best to be a great caregiver to my own child. Not a rabbit or bird or a bug, but a human being. From that point on I went home after months later and looked into working with kids or adults in same situation or similar situations and got into classes to become an LNA. I have since in 16 years been doing everything. Over all these years, I have loved working with children in a children's hospital, I’ve worked in hospital departments in surgical units, cancer Units, neurology units, nursing homes and retirement homes and prison systems. I have seen and learned so much, I have loved every min, every second, every hour, every year that I spent doing this work. There has not been any other job that I have done that I have felt so rewarding.

I came to work for TLC Home Care Services and stayed with this company because I've learned over the years that they are special to me. They are amazing people and staff and they make it easy to work for because they treat us all like its family. They look out for us as they do for our clients. They have open door policy for not just clients but for us employees too. They don't judge you or make you feel less important if you can’t be there 24/7 or work full time. They know some staff have other jobs or have important family stuff going on or medical stuff staff deals with. But at the end of the day, they run a great business and treat us great. I’m proud to come to work knowing it is for TLC Home Care. To me I've got to know the staff in the office one by one. They are all dedicated and respectful and make you feel important when you see them. I’m thankful to be a part of this amazing team.

I have improved since starting with TLC Home Care on ways that make me stronger as a LNA, learning new ways to interact with different facilities and what each independent client or patient needs from us as a staff. How to approach each situation for what it is and coping with it together as one. All the tasks that I've encountered over the years make me believe in myself. It has helped me understand that each step I take opens new doors and paths of learning daily, and to master all the ways to improve myself, to becoming more alert to new ways from others. Through lessons taught at TLC Home Care I feel we’ve improved as individuals and caregivers. The classes offered to help us along our journey have been an added benefit.