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SAN ANTONIO
MEDICINE
Life Burns
By Emily Sherry
Good morning, and hot sauce flew into Reflection
my eye I wrote the following poem, "Life as some of the things that made him
from the breakfast I had tried to spice up. Burns," from caring for one of our vet- the person he was. In this way, I honor
Thankfully, it didn’t burn. erans from his initial presentation at his memory, the time we shared, and
the hospital to the end of his life. I maybe a little legacy too by sharing the
write about this experience with the poem with others.
Good afternoon, and walking into the VA
specific allegory of burning in order to Importantly, I also carry the lessons
I received the daily COVID-19 screen.
juxtapose the actual “nonburning” he taught me into caring for future pa-
Fortunately, I have no fever or signs for
events (of the day I walked into shift tients: the impetus for strong patient
concern.
and learned of a 180º turn of events) communication, the power of stop-
with the heat of raw human emotions ping by the patient’s room again before
It’s time to get handoff for our shift and learn, I experienced in learning that my pa- going home, and the gravity that even
our guy who’s supposed to go home on tient now faced the end of his life in a medical student’s advocacy can make
antibiotics, the coming days. for respecting end-of-life wishes. He
Is now on hospice, with DNR and prn This man never struck me as a walked into our hospital never expect-
narcotics. “dying” or even an at near “risk-of- ing a days-left prognosis, and his dying
dying” patient when he presented to wish was to make it home one last
the ED with pneumonia. Maybe it was time to say goodbye to his family, feel
From serving in Vietnam to working at the zoo,
because he didn't enter the hospital the sun and fresh air, hug his dogs.
and running a business in horticulture too,
looking very sick, because he was rela- After life only handed him this “days-
He lived a flavorful and naturistic life,
tively young, because he was convers- notice,” I saw tangible change in his
loved his work, family, and late wife. ing expressively and vividly, or because eyes and voice in how he encountered
my clinical acumen is still developing, every ounce of life. Going home had
Last shift I’d said, let’s get you home, you’ve but he just didn’t fit my picture of many steps, such as establishment of
got a lot more life to live. someone in their final days. With that an oxygen tank at the house and a 24-
He agreed, let’s not let this infection be a being said, I’m reminded that the time hour nurse. Hours and hours passed;
deflection. one has left on earth doesn’t look the he held onto life by the bridge of max-
same on everyone, and not everyone imum flow oxygen. We didn’t leave his
receives an advance notice. side until they brought the transport
We’d chatted about all things - religion,
My goal in this poem was to em- stretcher. At this point, our team
politics, and living,
body the things that were important didn’t know if he’d survive the drive.
Jokingly, I said, just in time to prep for what’s
to him as a person. In particular, he We cared for our other patients, and
taboo at Thanksgiving. told me that he did not believe he we kept praying…
would be remembered past his adult Thanks be to everyone who fought
He’d even shared his burial plans to eventually kids. He was disheartened that he for his wishes: he spent the final hours
rejoin his wife in the urn. would not "leave a legacy." Because of with his granddaughter and son at
We just never knew that week would be this, I wanted at the least to create home. He died surrounded by the na-
his turn. something concrete, to put something ture in which he’d made a living.
on paper, if you will, that would re-
mind me of our work together. I A Poem and Reflection by
From man we are dust, and to dust we shall
wanted to capture a piece of our time, Emily Sherry, Medical Stu-
return.
including our expansive conversations dent, Class of 2022, UT
And oh boy, did that day fervently burn.
on traditionally avoided topics—per Health, Long School of Medicine.
his free-spirited personality—as well
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