Seeing a grown man cry

[tommymac]

never seems to get easier.

Had a bad case last night and had th emisfortune of telling them their mom/wife prolly wont be around much longer. Sadly its par for the course since they seem like very nice people she will prolly die a horrible death.

The both stuck by the bedside while we were working her up and more family came after I dropped the bomb on them. They seemed very nice, asked a lot of questions and sadly couldnt give them much good news. Kinda sux gearing up for a nice bbq here and these poor guys had their lives turned upside down.

So if anyones out and about today just hoist a pint for them, since I already did.

[Particle Man]

Will do.

[VatorMan]

I don't know how you ER personnel do it. I don't know if I could turn it "on" or "off".

['73 H1 Triple]

Originally Posted by tommymac

never seems to get easier.

As someone who has heard "it's time", hearing it from someone who says it from the heart makes it much easier to take.

We may not say it at the time, but we do appreciate the candor. I truly hope it does not take out a piece of you every time you must tell someone about their loved ones.

In that person's memory

Jeff

[itgirl]

i just read in my local paper today that a mother was told her 13 year old daughter is going to die within 6 months from a brain tumor. she had said she sometimes just sits by the window watching cars go by and gets so angry. she feels like screaming "how can you just go to the library, my daughter is dying?! how can you just drive to work when i am going to hafta bury my child soon?"

that really hit home for me. made me tear up reading it. i can't imagine cradling my daughter and telling her what heaven is going to be like and how to prepare her to say goodbye. that is a conversation this mother had to have.

wow. life is just so unfair sometimes. my thoughts go out to all suffering families, today and every day.

[101lifts2]

So what's the story?

[Gas Man]

Dealth blows...

[caveman]

I wouldn't be able to tell some family that they are about to lose some one so important to them. I would prolly bust up in tears before I even got to the room. I haven't lost any immediates, yet....knock on wood....none around....knock on head for good measure. I don't know what I would do if I lost my mom or dad. And if I it was my kids I lost........sorry, no words......

[Smittie61984]

I'm starting EMT school tommorow and will start working in a hospital tommorow too. I've been a patient dying in a hospital before but it'll be interesting if I get to see it from the other side, providing I'm around that stuff.

I did watch some Trauma: Life in the ER along with the show "Hopkins" the other day. They show doctors telling patients they are dying and relatives their relative has died (along with people actually dying). It doesn't bother me too bad but that's on TV of course. I'm interested how I'll handle it when somoene does die under me for the first time.

Sucks you had to do that Tommymac, but you know that they appreciate it.

[ontwo]

Tough job you got Tommy. This time last year I was with my grandmother who was fighting for her life. When the time came, I truly appreciated the one doc who made us face facts.

I raise my glass to you and the other docs who heal, comfort, and care each and every day.