David Metzger
Bio
David is a pediatric oncology nurse and father. His book, titled 16 Meditations On Parenthood From A Pediatric Oncology Nurse, will be available August 2021 from GenZ press.
David is also the host and creator of the Nurse Papa podcast.
Stories (3)
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Akward Words In An Elevator
Nurses, probably more than any other group of people, are accustomed to encountering death and pain. Although we are certainly affected by the suffering of others, our job calls for a measure of detachment, the ability to move forward without faltering. The traumas we experience here on this pediatric oncology unit are sometimes compartmentalized because it is a helpful device to make it through a hard shift and a challenging career. These traumatic moments are rarely predictable in form, though. It is often the case that among my diverse set of pediatric patients on any given day, some are quite sick and sad while others are doing just fine and may even be preparing to go home.
By David Metzger5 years ago in Confessions
Bathing The Dead
A few years into my career, I had taken care of many children who were close to the end of their lives. By sheer chance, none of these patients had passed away while I was their nurse. There were days—as I cared for unconscious children whose breathing had slowed to a crawl—when I was quite sure it would happen. By the end of those long shifts though, these children still held onto their lives and I went home to live mine.
By David Metzger5 years ago in Families
The Sport Of Parenting
Just this morning, my three-year-old son threw a shoe at my head. We were out all together at a restaurant when it happened. I was not prepared for the footwear assault, but I probably should have been. What surprised me most was not that my dear son chose to beam me with one of his gross, mud-encrusted shoes, but rather that he passed up many more enticing and accessible objects to maim me with. Directly within his toddler reach was a crumb-speckled butter knife, a plastic cup filled with primary-colored crayons, a full glass of water, and a very aerodynamically designed salt shaker—yes, the kind that looks like a rocket just dying to be launched into the heavens (or a dad’s face).
By David Metzger5 years ago in Families
