| Dear ER Gang,
So here I am, out on the beach at 5:30 in the evening.
Elizabeth is drinking juice, but I'm all about the mai thais. The
sun is going down, Rachel is dipping Ella's toes in the ocean as they
head off on their quest for the perfect seashell. Weirdly enough,
I find myself thinking, you know what would make this moment complete?,
some jogger dropping to the sand, short of breath, so I can sweep in
with a piece of bamboo to perform a nice, clean intubation, fix the guy
up, and send him off with a good, simple dispo. Which I guess is
my way of saying I miss you all and that dingy place. Lots of
times I thought I should have chosen a different career or go into
private practice, something easier, less grinding, more lucrative, but
since I've been gone, I realize that outside of doing what I'm doing
right now, sitting on this beach with my family, staying at County all
those years, doing what we do on a daily basis was the best choice I
ever made. I know what you're thinking, but trust me, it's not
hard to appreciate once it's over. As much as a part of me would
like to believe that the ER can't go on with out me, the smarter part
realizes that you are an incredible group of doctors and nurses who
approach every day with such skill, compassion and thoroughness, that
when it comes to patient care, I know by absence will hardly be
felt. In order to leave, I had to go the way I did, but I wouldn't
want any of you to think that I didn't value each of you and the years
we worked together, or that I didn't have things of a more personal
nature to say. Most of you, I think, have an idea of what those
things might be without me writing them down, but still. . .
. Ella is laughing and waving for me. Rachel
found her shell.
Mark
Mark died this morning at 6:04 a.m. The sun was rising, his
favorite time of day. I sent this on so that you might know he was
thinking of you all and that he appreciated knowing you would remember
him well.
Elizabeth |
