A solid mass silently grew on my kidney. An unwelcome addition. Asymptomatic. Discovered haphazardly during a CT scan of my lungs … And it revealed itself. At first, I was devastated. Will cancer ever leave me alone? It has already visited me twi…
After 32 years working as an ICU nurse, I believed I had developed a strong capacity to confront death alongside my patients. I had become accustomed to the challenging scenarios: co-morbidities, multi-system organ failure, emergency intubations, venti…
25 years ago, at the age of 42, I had my first mammogram, which was part of my routine checkup. I had no symptoms at the time. I was devastated when the radiologist discovered a shadow in my left breast. To confirm this, a biopsy was scheduled, and ind…
I like to thrift shop. Aisle after aisle weaves a story of people and their lives. Pieces of trinkets I’ll never need. But I can feel the hidden simple beauty, and then I have to have it. My children can line my gravesite with the thousands of co…
His 5-year-old daughter asked her mom, “Today is daddy’s birthday. Can we have a picnic at his grave?” Bryan was 49 years old. He could really do anything. He could do renovations, carpentry, electrical work, play music, be a father a…
She was oil, and I was vinegar. We didn’t mix. Ever. Even though we wanted the best outcome for our ICU patients, we stood on opposite poles of the earth. Sometimes, there’s only room for one alpha dog, one ultimate bully. And that person w…
ICU: Our acuities were high, and staffing was low. Our ICU, with 24 beds, was already full. The staffing situation for that night was so poor that instead of our RNs having a 2:1 patient-nurse ratio, we were forced into 3:1 assignments. Despite the cha…
Jason had always cherished the Fourth of July—it was his moment to shine. At 19 years old, he saw himself as a real man, a car mechanic who garnered the attention and admiration of the ladies. With a fit and muscular physique, he relished his workouts …
He was 82 years old when he came into our ER, writhing in excruciating abdominal pain. After an ultrasound and a subsequent CT scan, the devastating diagnosis was revealed—end stage pancreatic and liver cancer. Despite enduring a pain level of 10, he m…
Calling all health care personnel: EMTs, paramedics, nurses, CNAs, respiratory therapists, police, firefighters. All of you. You’ve been cursed at, spat upon, hit, and scratched by fingernails. You never got that 30-minute break during those 12 l…