| ...Just a Child I Once Knew When you were so sick I stood over your bed and cried and prayed as you slept even though I never admit to doing either of those things. Cleaned you, fed you, inserted tubes, and waited for your awakening each time they wheeled you off. The bright blue eyes sifted your awareness, focusing by degrees, and fascinated, I watched your progression from unconscious to twilight, to your fully prehensile grasp on life. Since that day when you walked out of here, thin as a rail, bald as an egg, but on your own two overlarge feet, it seems like a piece of sunshine went out of the ward. Of course, that's not true. It was because of you that I found my calling, after all. Every time I follow a fragile child into yet another surgery and back out, you're right there with us, staring up into my face as I repeat the words I said to you, that I'll see you on the other side. They should have known better, the powers that be, than to sic a directionless, just-out-of-school trainee on a young boy half a generation her junior. I think I fell in love with you, somewhere between wound care and advanced algebra. Something changed professionally, when they discharged you, with proper fanfare, on that spring day. Pronounced cured, and as far as we know, you are. Never since then have I lost myself in a patient like that, though I'm no longer clumsy and inexperienced as I was with you. I've seen you walk the catwalk on your way up, just a couple seconds worth on the local news. I've seen your too-wide mouth ten feet high, still speaking over 3 octaves and cracking and my goodness, you even sing. Well, good luck and a good life, my sweetie, as I wished you then and as I wish all my little angels. PamEhli/2002 |
|
| Since 1-20-03 |