From a Healthcare Worker: In My 12 Year Career I've Never Seen as Much Death as I Have the Last 6 Months

Reading this moved me to tears. Deep bow of love and respect and gratitude for my friend Cari and also to all those healthcare workers who are on the frontlines and engaged daily in the painstaking, traumatizing, heartbreaking, courageous and vital work that they do. It’s my belief that sharing their stories is deeply important. Breaking our hearts open to deeper truths and consciousness holds the potential to act as an antidote to that which seemingly separates us and instead serve as the impetus to more and more strongly engage in the deep work of compassion and love. Bless us all, no exceptions. 🙏 Molly

Vaccine booster done.

For me, for my family, for all the patients that we’ve lost. Mothers, brothers, people just starting their lives, pastors, authors, salesmen, homemakers, janitorial staff, business owners, young, old, everyone in between.

People my age.

For the breaks lost, and the Optiflow checks, and all the damn tears I’ve cried for pointless deaths. For my own personal anger, and their families grief.

And all the 2 hour head turns. And the people too tenuous and close to death to tolerate a head turn.

For the ones I thought were getting better only to die a couple days later.

For all of the hands I’ve held, and their denial, and their wishes to live. For all the CPR, and all the changes to DNR status.

For all the patients who have passed far from home after being flown to my hospital.

For all the families that have lost multiple family members, and all of their grief.

I’ve done a lot of research. And I’ve seen a lot of things. This work that I do makes a difference. This choice was right for me.

In a nearly 12 year career I’ve never seen as much death as I have the last 6 months. One patient asked me “Well what if one shot leads to needing many more?” I told him what I tell you. I don’t care how many shots I need, I don’t want to be in that bed, I don’t want my family to lose me before my time. The shots are safe and fully researched. He is gone and I am here to tell this story.

So I sit here today with much gratitude for this bandaid, and gratitude for the chances to care for them, and so much gratitude for my healthy life.

 

― Cari Piercy