QUIETUDE
WHAT I’M NOT SAYING written from the health-care perspective of a 34 year career as a Respiratory Therapist in the USA All the people I have had the privilege of to be present in their dying are a part of me. I don’t remember all their names. What I do remember is that some were in the winter of their lives some were in their summer only a few were in the spring of Life.
I also remember the clear absence of color of the endotracheal tubes those had a blue strip down the side with a gradient so we Respiratory Therapists would know how deep it was in past the vocal cords. And the black fancy ambu bag that we sophisticated Respiratory Therapists could attach therapeutic devices to, and give breath for someone who could not anymore. Even being an Expert at resuscitation we only kept about thirty percent of ‘em on the planet.
© liveencounters.net POETRY & WRITING Volume Four November - December 2023 Celebrating 14th Anniversary
