Discovering my Empathetic Heart

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My best required no ticket but gave me a series of personal life challenges and experiences, which projected me into a journey of learning new skills and making wonderful memories. From childhood, through to adulthood, meeting and nursing many psychiatric patients, whom I showered with love and respect, enabling me to discover my empathetic heart.

Follow me as I introduce you to the innocence and institutionalisation of poor Hetty admitted to the old asylum and deemed as being possessed by the devil because she was an unmarried pregnant teenager. Then, how my talent in the art of farting saved my life when a disturbed patient threatened to kill me as he chased me down a hospital corridor, and the phenomena of witnessing a patient with Stigmata. Also, the dealing of the sexist, slimeball tutor who plagued my career, because I had refused sexual favours.

Mental health was such a taboo subject in society during the twentieth century. People deemed as crazy, possessed or just mad, put away out of sight and mind because of their family's embarrassment. Being part of the patients' lives and creating fun and laughter as part of their treatment made me proud to make a difference. After all, they gave me the greatest gift of all, knowledge and experience to enhance my own life, enabling me to help others.

Melanie Baker RMN

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