Yes, and I’m not even going to pretend that’s controversial.

I just finished the last few episodes of The Pitt. season 2 (on HBO) and I cried. Real tears. These episodes, in part, focus on nurses and the work they do, and it hit me because it reminded me of something I’ve known for years.

Doctors matter. Obviously. I enjoy modern medicine and I would like to continue being alive.

But if we’re talking about the people who actually carry you through the day-to-day reality of hospitals, appointments, and recovery, it’s nurses. It’s CNAs. It’s the people doing the work that doesn’t come with a spotlight or a dramatic soundtrack.

“Doctors matter. Obviously. I enjoy modern medicine and I would like to continue being alive.”

The “Jane Case” standard

Twenty years ago, there was Jane Case, and for a while we didn’t realize her exact title. She was our primary care person, and she had that calm, steady energy that makes you feel like you can breathe again.

We called her Dr. Case anyway because that’s the level she operated on.

She left town for a while, but I looked her up recently and saw that she’s back and still practicing. And that makes me ridiculously happy. Some people are just built for this work.

The little things that are actually huge

Here’s something I love at my main doctor’s office.

When the nurses tell me to take off my jacket, put down my purse, maybe kick off the shoes, and do that little “anything heavy in your pockets?” routine.

It’s not because they’re worried about my fashion choices.

It’s the wink-wink version of healthcare. Like, “Hey girl. We’re not here to sabotage your relationship with the scale. Let’s not let a winter coat and a purse full of chaos and swedish fish ruin your day.”

That’s nursing energy. Practical. Human. Slightly conspiratorial. Helpful without making it weird.

The gross stuff (aka real life)

And then there’s the part nobody puts in the brochure or on the website.

After my amputation, getting to the bathroom wasn’t easy. And at one point my diet had me dealing with…issues that were, to use a technical medical term, disgusting.

And the nurses? They were basically like, “This happens all the time. We don’t even care. You’re fine.”

Which is the EXACT response you need in that moment. You’re already vulnerable, because all that’s between you and your self-esteem is a thin piece of fabric that ties in the back and can expose EVERYTHING with even a slight breeze.

Not pity. Not drama. Not “oh my gosh.” Just calm competence and zero judgment.

That’s not just medical care. That’s dignity.

Quick shoutout to CNAs

Also, I need to say this clearly because CNAs get overlooked constantly.

My bonus son (aka stepson) and one of my nephews are CNAs. Being a CNA is hard work, and it’s the kind of work that keeps everything moving even when nobody’s clapping.

It’s physical work. It’s emotional work. It’s constant work. It’s often underappreciated, and the pay should match the responsibility. Period.

If you’ve ever been cared for in a hospital, you’ve been cared for by a CNA. Whether you noticed or not.

What I want you to do with this info

If a nurse or CNA ever helped you, tell them. Specifically.

Not “you were amazing.” Tell them exactly what they did. For example:

And if you get a patient survey, use their name. Put it in writing. That 👏stuff 👏matters👏.

Because yes, doctors ARE important.

But nurses and CNAs are often the reason you make it through the part that actually feels impossible.

Also, one more reason The Pitt hit me. Last season, they quietly included a doctor with a prosthetic leg. No big speech. No “inspiration” music. Just a quick moment after work where he took his prosthesis off and rubbed his leg, because that’s what you do when you’ve been living in your body all day. He showed up again this season, rolled in with an emergency, did his job, and left, and the prosthesis was never mentioned. Which is exactly the point.

Representation that’s treated like normal life is the kind that actually matters.

And that’s my favorite kind of competence: the kind that doesn’t need a speech.

And that is EXACTLY why The Pitt got me a little. It reminded me of Jane Case, our “Dr. Case,” and how much calm competence can change everything. That’s the stuff I don’t forget.