General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThey broke us. 😢
We wanted to help people
We were smart and driven
We loved science and physiology, humans and disease
So we made a commitment
We signed up
It was an honor
We read thousands of pages
Attended hundreds of lectures
Pulled all-nighters
Took more exams than we thought possible
Finals week felt insurmountable
But it didnt break us
It made us stronger
We learned statistics and biochemistry
Immunology and pathophysiology
We mastered genetics, virology and pharmacology
We read scientific papers and learned how to dissect them
Papers, not videos
It was an honor
We came running when you needed us
Literally, running down the hallway
To the ICU, the trauma bay, labor and delivery
I need help, you said
We can help, we said
It was an honor
There were moments that we thought would break us
Moments that drove us to journaling, to therapy, to nightmares
Broken babies.
Paralyzed children.
Dead pregnant mothers with three kids at home.
The wail of a mother whose son just died.
We bent but we did not break
We returned because you needed us
And we could help
It was an honor
Then there was fear
Fear of walking into our place of work
Fear that wed be killed by going to work
Fear that wed kill a loved one because of our work
There were tears and sleepless nights and anti-anxiety medications
But you banged your pots and pans
You sent us pizzas and called us heroes
You needed us
We could help
So we wore our masks, and our gowns, and our gloves, and our goggles
We decontaminated ourselves before going home and isolated ourselves from our families
We almost broke
It was an honor
How quickly the joy turned to defeat
Elation to rage
Youve learned to do your own research now
You know better than we do
Gaslighting is your language
Your selfishness is astounding
You dont want our help when we ask you to stay healthy
Yet you arrive at our doors begging for help at the end
You stole our resources
You hobbled our ability to help those who did what they were supposed to do
You killed our patients by filling our beds and using up our ventilators
We cant help any more
You broke us
There is no more honor
CaliforniaPeggy
(149,531 posts)Everyone who is anti-vax needs to read this. They won't, of course.
world wide wally
(21,739 posts)zuul
(14,624 posts)This is fantastic!
FakeNoose
(32,596 posts)I'm guessing maybe ... a Texas doctor?
I doubt that a doctor in New York or an eastern state would have written this.
Very powerful and sincere.
Mr.Bill
(24,253 posts)Or maybe I'm just saying that because I'm married to a retired RN, and my stepdaughter is the fourth generation RN in our family.
FakeNoose
(32,596 posts)It's heart-breaking.
Celerity
(43,135 posts)Hekate
(90,564 posts)FailureToCommunicate
(14,007 posts)keithbvadu2
(36,674 posts)NJCher
(35,622 posts)Lt. General Russel L. Honoré.
It was written as a response to "Coronavirus & Crisis."
Response to Murphyb849 (Original post)
usaf-vet This message was self-deleted by its author.
ffr
(22,665 posts)For stringing this pandemic along, endangering others, including all those 11 and younger unable to get vaccinated. You're all a bunch of self centered sons of bitches that need to go! The sooner the better for the rest of society.