You Never Get Used To A Nursing Home Death...

Today we had a patient that died. She was 30. She will never see her husband, child or family again. In reality, she hasn't seen them in years because of a condition that caused her to be in a near vegetative state, called metabolic encephalopathy. Among other things, she also had a tracheostomy and a PEG tube...which to a non-healthcare professional, made her look unsightly. Her condition started when she was just 21. She came here from Africa to visit her husband, who had already become a legal citizen of the United States. She was pregnant with her second child. During the pregnancy, something went wrong and she had a miscarriage. This miscarriage caused the encephalopathy, and thus turned her (and her husband's) life around completely. She could not talk, she could not acknowledge you, and she could no longer be a mother. She spent two years in a local hospital on a ventilator before she came to us. No social security number, no insurance. Just a name, some family, and an inevitable fate.

D*amnit, she was only 30.

We took great care of her - and I'm not just saying that because it's where I work. We did great things and made great strides with her husband, who was understandably slow to trust anyone. She had no wounds, was well nourished, and had constant visits from the staff and her husband.

I write about this because I am deeply saddened. Here is someone who just barely started out in life before it ended so abruptly. So many of us take life, health, family and time for granted - as if it's neverending. The harsh reality is that nothing lasts forever.

Can we all just try to enjoy and appreciate one another while this planet is still somewhat intact?