26yr old male, hit by a bus on his way to work.
It was 5am and as I was rushing out of the ER to go to the OR, the father whose son had just died a few hours ago, caught up to me, looked at me with teary eyes, and thanked me.
After my assist, which extended a few hours post duty, I went back to the ER and he was gone.
My reply to his gesture? A nod while hurrying out of the ER. If only I stayed with him two three minutes more. He didn’t need someone to talk to, he didn’t need someone to listen, he just needed someone. I could have just stood by his side without saying anything.
The mistakes we make.
