Nurses have an incredibly hard job, there's no other way to say it. They are underpaid, overworked, and always responsible for someone else's life. It's hard to imagine working in a profession where every day was a matter of life and death.
Jessica Urtz knows this struggle well, as she's a stroke nurse in Rome, New York. Every day is spent caring for other people while she works herself into exhaustion. According to her husband Philip, though, Jessica never complains. She loves her job and goes into work every day ready to help others.
After one particularly tough day 14-hour day, Jessica came home rightfully exhausted. Philip decided to pen an open letter to his wife on Facebook, and it went totally viral.
This is my wife Jessica having dinner after a 14 hour day. She comes home from work, has enough time to eat and get ready for bed and it's back to work the next day for another shift.She is up early to get ready for her day. She doesn't like to be bothered in the morning and I respect that. She showers, throws her hair up, grabs her lunch gives the dog and me a kiss and heads out the door.
At work she takes care of people who are having the worst days of their lives. Strokes, Car accidents, motorcycle accidents, falls, breaks, brain damage and more. She takes care of mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, friends and families. It doesn't matter who you are or what happened. She will take care of you.
She works through lunch and rarely has time to sit. She comes home after 14 hours, takes off her shoes that have walked through blood and tears, and just wants to sit down. I don't ask her about her day because She doesn't like to talk about work when she is home and that's fine.
If she does want to talk, I will listen. Sometimes she comes home happy and sometime she comes home sad. But no matter how she feels, she is always on time for her next shift.
I love her with all my heart. My wife is my hero. My wife is a Stroke Nurse.
The post was shared over 10,000 times and people could not stop sending in notes of thanks and encouragement.
"I am a stroke survivor," Liz Lisamarie wrote. "Thank God for your wife and other amazing people like her, and those who support them. You both are wonderful human beings and are lucky to have each other."
"This is so beautiful, not many can understand," Rosie A Lara Alvarez wrote. "She has a purpose, she does it well and her husband is godsend a great man. I respect you both and thank you for your sacrifices."
"God bless her," Kelly Chase applauded. "I don't know where we'd be without these amazing nurses who care for people like they were family. They are loving and caring even on there worst days! Thank you Jessica for all you do!!!"
