Friday, June 25, 2010

Never Blasé

No, this is NOT about texting and driving. (Although, as an aside, a sign said: “If you want to meet G-d, just text-message while driving….”)
By profession I am a nurse, although I have not worked in the field for years. But recently my step daughter graduated nursing school, and has started working as a nurse. (I am very proud of her.)
One day recently, she worked a night sift, and in the early morning, on finishing her shift, she text-messaged me that 2 of her patients had died the previous evening. She apparently felt the need to share that angst with someone who knows the feeling.
Now I was not working as a nurse for that long to have experienced many deaths on my shift. But I do remember each time. And I remember the “hit-the wall-while–running-full-speed” feeling that knocks the air out of you when a death is unexpected.
And I also remember several years ago, when every victim of a terrorist attack was mourned over, and haunted us for the remainder of the day. Today I suspect that this occurs to a lesser degree. The battering of our hearts with the media, and the need to be able to function, have taken their tool.
So I text-messaged my step-daughter back, hoping that death never becomes blasé for her….

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