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You're listening to The Nocturnists.

Stories from the World of Medicine.

I'm Emily Silverman.

We've had a lot of physicians on this show, but I'm really thrilled today to be speaking with a nurse.

Her name is Roche-Nishaw, and she told a story at our live show in New York City, produced in partnership with Bellevue Literary Review on the theme of

taking care. In Rocheonie's story, she transports us to a really difficult chapter

of her life. She was living at home, she was taking care of her aging mom, and she was working

difficult night shifts in the ICU. But despite all this, despite the stress, despite the sleep

deprivation and the bickering in her family around that time, Rocheony manages to find a moment of

intense serenity in the shower with her mom as they bathed together one morning

early after Rocheony returns from work. I loved this story, which gives us an intimate glimpse

into Rocheney's family life. And I also really loved my conversation with Rocheonie afterward,

where we talked about the elemental significance of water, the hushed hour between

three and four in the morning in the ICU that can feel almost mystical, and the differences

between caregiving as a daughter and caregiving as a nurse. But first, let's hear Rocheon's story

from our live show in New York, Healing Waters.

I pull into my driveway, windows down, music blasting Bollywood, nose dripping, but despite the cold

Chicago air, I can barely keep my eyes open. All I can think about right now is going to sleep.

...