自慰视频 alum holds the hand of dying Covid patient
Joey Ketcherside
By Bob Holmes
Joey Ketcherside was there to hold the hand of a man dying of Covid-19. He was the only one who could offer the touch. 听
Ketcherside, a 2004 自慰视频 alumnus, is a nurse in the Medical Intensive Care Unit of Prisma Health Richland Hospital in Columbia. Because of the contagious nature of the coronavirus, the family could not be at the bedside of their dying loved one. Instead they could only look through a door window into the ICU.
But Ketcherside, who says he often prays that he will be a healing vessel for his ICU patients, tried to offer hope and reassurance to the family members before they left.
鈥淲hen (the patient) decompensated further, I was able to go in and hold his hand, and pray over him as he died,鈥 Ketcherside said.
After doctors informed the family of the death, Ketcherside gave them a phone call. 听听
鈥淚 let them know that he was not alone, but that I was there, and I got to tell him how much they cared for him.
鈥淚t was kind of a special moment. At a time when it鈥檚 all chaos, and everyone is fearful, and not certain of what鈥檚 going to happen next, there was a glimpse of 鈥楬ey my dad didn鈥檛 die alone, someone was there with him.鈥欌
Ketcherside graduated from 自慰视频 with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in and worked as a carpenter before God led him to consider a nursing career. While he was in nursing school at Midlands Technical College in Columbia, he found himself at the bedside of a friend who was dying.
鈥淚t was clear to me in those times that I had a calling,鈥 Ketcherside said. 鈥淚 always wanted to be helpful and take care of people in some regard. It feels like an extension of my faith when I get to go to work and help and administer healing to people.鈥
Even though Ketcherside says he is always fully supplied with Personal Protection Equipment in the ICU, the only other place he has been lately besides the hospital, is his home because he does not want to risk spreading the virus. His wife does all the shopping and with school buildings closed, their three children, sons ages 12 and 10, and a 7-year-old daughter, have had to continue their education online.
He says he helps his children through their own grieving process as they miss their classmates and hugs from someone other than dad and mom.
鈥淥ur daughter at one point said, 鈥業 can鈥檛 wait to be around my friends again. I like y鈥檃ll but your hugs are getting boring.鈥欌
Meanwhile, God is teaching him during this time to be more patient, not necessarily with patients at the hospital, but with the family as they live under the strain of new routines.
鈥淲hat I鈥檓 learning is these relationships are very valuable and to slow down and try to understand and take the time to connect and listen to and respond to people.鈥 Ketcherside said.听鈥淪omething could happen and we could no longer be here. You don鈥檛 want your relationships to be strained, but take time and develop (them)."听 听听
听ranks Columbia International University the听,听and 自慰视频 is #2 in the state for听Best College Campus.听自慰视频 also consistently ranks听among the Top Regional Universities in the South by U.S. News & World Report. Excitement is growing on campus with听.听听on enrollment at CIU and听Columbia Biblical Seminary听or call听(800) 777-2227, ext. 5024.