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1/
PM rounds at Grady
Him: "You alright, doc?"
Me: "Me?"
Him: "Yeah you. You seem outta sorts."
*silence*
Me: *smiles* "I'm in sorts I promise. Now tell me--you alright?"
Him: "Me? Feeling a little better."
Me: "How's your wind?"
Him: "Waaay better."
Me: "Yay."
PM rounds at Grady
Him: "You alright, doc?"
Me: "Me?"
Him: "Yeah you. You seem outta sorts."
*silence*
Me: *smiles* "I'm in sorts I promise. Now tell me--you alright?"
Him: "Me? Feeling a little better."
Me: "How's your wind?"
Him: "Waaay better."
Me: "Yay."
2/
I sit him up and carefully untie the back of his gown. On cue, he takes breaths in and out as I listen intently.
Me: "Lungs sound good." *moves around to front of chest* "I'm listening to your heart now. You can just breathe regular now."
Him: "Okay."
I sit him up and carefully untie the back of his gown. On cue, he takes breaths in and out as I listen intently.
Me: "Lungs sound good." *moves around to front of chest* "I'm listening to your heart now. You can just breathe regular now."
Him: "Okay."
3/
After pressing my palm to his chest to feel his heart, I search his chest with stethoscope. Although it's not normal, it hasn't changed. Still he keeps making big gasps, forcing breaths in and out the whole time exaggeratedly.
Me: "Just breath regular, okay?"
After pressing my palm to his chest to feel his heart, I search his chest with stethoscope. Although it's not normal, it hasn't changed. Still he keeps making big gasps, forcing breaths in and out the whole time exaggeratedly.
Me: "Just breath regular, okay?"
4/
Him: "Sometimes you want to breathe regular but you can't."
*silence*
Him: "Doc Manning?"
Me: "Sir?"
Him: "You okay?"
Me: "I'm okay."
Him: "You sure?"
*silence*
I felt my face getting hot. It embarrassed me that it was so obvious.
Him: "Sometimes you want to breathe regular but you can't."
*silence*
Him: "Doc Manning?"
Me: "Sir?"
Him: "You okay?"
Me: "I'm okay."
Him: "You sure?"
*silence*
I felt my face getting hot. It embarrassed me that it was so obvious.
5/
Me: "Just got some bad news is all. About a friend who passed."
*silence*
Him: "I'm sorry."
Me: *tying his gown back* "Yeah. Me, too. Was real good people."
Him: "Kids?"
Me: "Yup."
Him: "Damn."
*silence*
Him: "I knew you was out of sorts when I seent you."
Me: "Just got some bad news is all. About a friend who passed."
*silence*
Him: "I'm sorry."
Me: *tying his gown back* "Yeah. Me, too. Was real good people."
Him: "Kids?"
Me: "Yup."
Him: "Damn."
*silence*
Him: "I knew you was out of sorts when I seent you."
6/
Me: *deep breath and shrug* "Yeah. You were right, friend."
After that we just sat there for a few moments in silence. Then my patient asked me about my friend. I paused--then told him a really funny story about him.
We both laughed out loud.
Me: *deep breath and shrug* "Yeah. You were right, friend."
After that we just sat there for a few moments in silence. Then my patient asked me about my friend. I paused--then told him a really funny story about him.
We both laughed out loud.
7/
Me: *shaking my head* "That cat was wild. Kept us all laughing nonstop."
Him: "Sound like a cool MF."
Me: *chuckling* “Yeah. . . that he was. And a good friend, too.” *I stared at the floor for a beat then sighed*
*silence*
Me: *shaking my head* "That cat was wild. Kept us all laughing nonstop."
Him: "Sound like a cool MF."
Me: *chuckling* “Yeah. . . that he was. And a good friend, too.” *I stared at the floor for a beat then sighed*
*silence*
8/
He reached out and patted me on my forearm. He stared at me with earnest, brown eyes.
Him: "It's gon' be okay, Doc Manning."
Me: "Yeah. Sometimes you want to breathe regular but you can't. You know?"
Him: *staring at me* "Yeah...I do know."
*silence*
Me: "Thanks, hear?
He reached out and patted me on my forearm. He stared at me with earnest, brown eyes.
Him: "It's gon' be okay, Doc Manning."
Me: "Yeah. Sometimes you want to breathe regular but you can't. You know?"
Him: *staring at me* "Yeah...I do know."
*silence*
Me: "Thanks, hear?
9/
If you think the only ones doing the healing are us? Think again. Our patients save our lives every single day.
Damn, they do.
Grateful for the bedside, the patients, & the grace and empathy they extend us.
Pray we can all breathe regular soon.
Yeah.
#humanismalways
If you think the only ones doing the healing are us? Think again. Our patients save our lives every single day.
Damn, they do.
Grateful for the bedside, the patients, & the grace and empathy they extend us.
Pray we can all breathe regular soon.
Yeah.
#humanismalways
