A Work of Art, A Grateful Heart
An unforgettable exchange that united an entire medical unit.
Ruth Trueman

As a regular volunteer with Art à la Carte for over six years, I have experienced many emotional visits at the bedside. Last week, my colleague, Jim, and I were deeply affected by another one.

Picnic on Lake James (Image by Bruce McGaw Graphics)

The run had started out routinely enough. The unit was quiet, a number of patients were sleeping, others were away from their rooms, and we had exchanged only a few canvas images. Then we came across a middle-aged man sitting in the sun room. He was alone, looking pensively out the vast window at a glorious spring day, when I heard him say, "They have moved me to another bed, a different room. I miss the pictures you and I selected last week for my wall. Do you remember the one of the lake, with the couple having a picnic on the shore?" As I sat down beside him, he went on to describe other small details in the image that he appreciated: the handsome wooden boat moored at the lake's edge, the sailboats in the background, the picture's sense of tranquility. Lost in memories, he told us that he had once owned a summer cottage. His dream was to own one again and to refinish a vintage mahogany boat.

There were tears gently running down his face. Without turning to look at us, he said, "I would like the picture.I would very much like to have it signed by all the nurses." I hesitated for a moment, uncertain about simply removing the expensive image from our collection and giving it away.

Jim spoke up at once and said firmly, "We will see that you get it." Bolstered by his words, I repeated, "Of course. We will see that you get it." We retrieved the canvas for the patient and presented it to him. By now Jim and I had lost our composure as well and the three of us hugged warmly. Then we stepped back and watched the patient make his way towards the nurse's station.

He was quickly surrounded by them all, as each one joined in to write caring messages of hope on the back of the canvas. Waiting his turn to inscribe his own thoughts, one staff physician smiled at us with a triumphant two thumbs up for our gesture! It was a scene Jim and I will never forget.

In the end our afternoon was not routine in the least, but memorable beyond words. We gave the patient a canvas image. In return, he gave us a shimmering example of the healing power of art.