The saying is that nice guys finish last. That saying has been around forever. But, do they really? Or does it seem so just because the “nice guys” quietly win, and don’t draw attention to themselves while doing it?

I had two really nice patients the other night. And then two really nice patients the next night. These are people who are in the midst of health crises, and still adhere to being polite and pleasant. This is not always the case, and I don’t blame anyone for being bitchy when they’re sick or injured. I get it, trust me. But these sets of patients were each kind, patient, understanding and appreciative of their care and the education given to them. At the end of my day, I invariably tell my patients that it has been a privilege taking care of them, because that’s true. One of these patients took my hand and said “well, it’s been a privilege being taken care of by you”. One of the nicest things said to me in recent times, from a sick and hopefully healing person.

I have someone I barely know through the beauty of social media, who read my last blog post “Refreshments and Narcotics”. And took it upon himself to send me a video message thanking me for being a nurse, saying “wow, it sounds like sometimes you could use someone in your corner, so let me be that person today who thanks you for what you do” and even gave me a book suggestion to help deal with stress (amazingly, to a book I already own, thanks to a doc friend also suggesting it to me some time ago). This is someone who is busy with his own life and things going on taking a few extra minutes to just give a relative stranger a pep talk.

So, do nice guys finish last? Or are nice guys quietly out there making the world a better place for everyone in it? Out of this wonderful group of people I’ve recently dealt with, I don’t think any of them are finishing last. And I’m appreciative for what each of them has brought to my life. Because I don’t want to live in a world without those nice guys in it.