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Division

South Atlantic

Hospital

Grand Strand Medical Center

Specialty

General Surgery

Document Type

Image

Publication Date

2022

Keywords

comfort care, patient care

Disciplines

Arts and Humanities | Medicine and Health Sciences

Abstract

Death does not thrill me anymore. I am a trauma surgeon extraordinaire! The patient had suffered a traumatic brain injury and has struggled for weeks. He is only 16. Today the family decided to make him 'comfort care" I was at the end of my call, exhausted, drained of all energy looked out of the ICU window and saw the fading rain and the city lights. Somehow reminded me of a precious life ebbing away and I burst into a silent scream. I am still human

Comments

As trauma surgeon I deal with death and devastating injury every day. Sometimes we wonder that I no longer care. Have become mechanized. The death of the young patient moved me beyond words.

Keywords

comfort care, patient care

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