It is 10:25am.
You pull in to the QT to get a pack of cigarettes & a soda.
While you are at the counter, suddenly the world as you know it goes black.
You pass out & fall to the ground.
A stranger calls 911.
10:49am you arrive to the ER
You are unconscious, intubated, laceration to the head, with large ST elevation on the EKG.
You are having a major heart attack.
10:58am you are taken to the cath lab
12:35pm - the time of your death has been called
Your 47th birthday is in two days.
Sadly, this was my 2nd case of the day. In the 1-1/2 hours this patient was with us we did all that we could do & still it wasn't good enough. We don't often lose a patient on our table but when we do, it hits all of us hard - especially when they are so young. It is yet another gentle reminder how your life here on earth is short & can easily be taken away from you in a minute.
As I was doing this patients post-mortem care, I thought back to the "spat" I had with the hubby the night before & how he went to bed early & left for work before I woke up. We left things somewhat "unsettled" & even though I slipped a little "apology" note in his bag last night for him to find today, I couldn't help but think that if something had happened to him or me like it did to our patient, that the "spat" would have been the last conversation we ever had & that made me sad.
After I had finished with my patient, I went to the phone & called Shane. I told him what had just happened, apologized for being such a "pain" last night & promised myself that I would never leave any conversation left unsettled ever again. Again I am reminded to "live each day as if it is your last" because you know what? You just never know! I'm pretty sure our patient didn't wake up this morning knowing he was going to die later in the day. It makes me wonder if he lived his life to the fullest with no regrets!?
So far I have learned that it isn’t about the big things that you do, it’s about the little things in your life. It’s about taking an extra second to help someone and never leaving anything left unsaid. It’s about finding happiness in the small things you do every day. Most importantly it’s about never having regrets. Make every day count. Appreciate every moment and take from it everything that you possibly can. Because like my patient today, you may never be able to experience it again...
1 comment:
This is a great post, Heather.
Post a Comment