The cases of he had light in his life, her light was burned out

Two people who needed light in their lives...

It was a Friday night and things were getting busier as the shift continued into the night. We had some very sick people in our emergency room that night. I always loved working in the ER, there were sad cases, comical cases and heartbreaking cases. Just as life unfolds to reveal the good and bad in people, so does the ER. 

I will not forget the woman who came in by ambulance that Friday night. She was very weathered, with the skin of a hardened old sailor who had spent his life on the sea. Even though it turned out that she was in her thirties she looked more like 50. The paths we choose to travel in life can make us or break us. 

I had seen such stories on the news and on TV shows, but this Friday evening, I got to witness it right before my eyes. This poor woman looked like a person who had been cast out from society and did not know her place in the world. She had given birth moments earlier in a toilet. Someone called 911, then she and the baby were rushed off to us. We all peered at the precious baby who lay there very still yet he was alive.  One of our ER physicians on duty that night was Dr. S. He was a person who was normally stoic and unmoved by any tragedy that came through our doors. I could see he was emotional as he looked at that baby.  He was upset by the condition of the woman but more the condition of the baby. He gave his all to save that baby who had a very rocky start in life. The mother did not appear interested in the child or his outcome. According to the drug screen she was high on meth. They both survived. I occasionally think of that baby that night, so tiny and so helpless as he lay there in the care of my wonderful co-workers who showed so much compassion. I have to say that I was so happy when I learned that the mother did not take the baby from the hospital when she was discharged. She did not want him and said we could do with him whatever we chose. In this case, he was much better off without his mother.

Shortly after the baby case, our focus turned to a man who was 50 years old and was walking like he was 100. He was miserable and he looked very frightened. After discussing his discomfort and reason for being in our ER without getting clear answers, he was sent for x-rays. I was surprised to see that x-ray. We all gathered around the screen and could not believe what we were seeing. How and why would he do such a thing. There was a light bulb lodged in this man’s rectum! That was probably the most dangerous of all the items we had seen inside someone. Light bulbs are very fragile and the glass breaks in shards that could rip him up. It could easily have killed him. When told and shown the x-ray, this patient seemed as surprised as we were. How does a person just check out of consciousness and become unaware of what is put into his or her body? I do not believe in any of the many cases I witnessed, that these people did not know or participate in the insertion process.

Our ER physician made arrangements immediately to alert the operating room staff of the situation. The patient’s paperwork and other necessary preparations were done and he was whisked off to the OR as quick as humanly possible.

I am happy to say that the light bulb was removed intact. The patient faired well, yet he complained to the hospital administration the next day because he did not get his light bulb back. We read his written complaint, in it he said, “Those bulbs are very expensive, I can’t afford to be giving you light bulbs for no reason.” 

People do not surprise me often, but this guy, did. He should have been so grateful that he survived with no injury, yet he was demanding his light bulb be replaced. I thought about him and wondered, “Was he the light of someone’s life?”

Two cases: 
For one, there was no light in her life. She was burned out from drug use and her life meant nothing to her. The birth of her baby failed to spark anything in her darkness.

He had plenty of light in him (light bulb). He gave changing lightbulbs a whole new meaning, yet he failed to see the light as trained, compassionate people helped him survive.

  Her light was burned out

His light could not be found