A Patient's Last Words Were For Me

I remember him as one of my favorite patients. Every day, he'd joke and laugh with me, making my shift feel less like work. But that last day, when the nurses were moving him to hospice care, he whispered in my ear before they wheeled him out, 'Take care of yourself.' I was so touched by his words, but also overwhelmed because deep down, I knew what those words really meant. It's been weeks now and every time I see a patient smile like he did, it reminds me of that day.