Living through Loss

in #grief7 years ago (edited)

I chose to post this after long contemplation... Loss changes you! Work can be hard and I've had long and discouraging days. I decided to just write ...Here it goes...I'm sure it's not perfect but it IS REAL! Thank you to all who were supportive. Everyday we struggle through change, life, love, loss... BUT we pick ourselves back up, dust ourselves off, and move forward.


Parading lights,
Dances of blinding refractions… Red
The clanging of doors that open into their cold metal frame,
Making way to the urgency of shuffling hasty feet.

The medic’s voice stammers,
Reminding himself to forget nothing and remember everything.
Here you enter
Lifeless,
Your body limp, pale and stationary.

A soul surrendering to darkness,
With still so much life left to live.
Do you hear me calling your name?
Desperately hoping that inside you still linger.

For hours I labor, charged by a purpose,
Together we work,
To breathe life into you,
Shocking waves of electricity into a heart that refuses to beat on its own.

Exhausted, with beads of sweat upon our foreheads
We push forward,
Your heart flickers,
Fighting to strike a beat to its own harmonious accord.

Yet you do not awaken from this deep sleep,
You slip away as the encircling darkness consumes you,
The promise of light now just a blur in the distance.

We watch the relenting signs of life,
Listen to the slow beeps of a fleeting soul,
A flatline appears with a single hum that silences us all.

The hush of silence succumbs to the screams of horror,
for beside you a family grieves at your loss,
No consolation for these shattered lives or hearts.
You are loved…

There I stand,
Weak kneed and broken,
Though we have tried,
I feel defeated.

Distracted by my questioning thoughts.
Mindlessly traveling, as cars whir past me,
Ignoring the rush and blaring horns.
I ponder the moments leading up to your final hour.

Frustrated and finally home, I enter and throw my things aside,
I prepare myself for the respite,
Before I to return to the place you took your last breath,
Returning to the feeling of desperation and failure.

And as I slip below the sheets feeling alone in the darkness,
I allow myself to feel,
The tides have come, pushing forward with no regard to what remains in their path
A salted sting upon my already rosy cheeks.
I cry myself to sleep.

As always, thanks for listening! Your Steemit Nurse @travelnurse

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Thank you for sharing those beautiful words. The tides might push forward relentlessly, but once they retreat everything is born anew, cleansed and ready for another try at that elusive goal.

So eloquently said Sammo.. Thanks for always sharing your love and support! You teach me to find strength in all things... its like a forest overcome by fire that returns with lush new life, more beautiful than before!

Never give up, never surrender!

Thank you for your courage and perseverance. I can only hope that you are at my bedside should I be in need of such care.

It is always my effort to give the most and best of myself to every person. While I may go home exhausted it is my pleasure to care for and provide support to all those in my care. Thank you so much for reading and for the appreciation!

Wow! Such beautiful words. I cannot imagine dealing with that day in and day out. Don't think I could manage!

Love you @inkatieskitchen. Thank you for reading my post! I've been working and haven't had the opportunity to reply on steemit or catch up on discord. Thank you for the kind response, these "beautiful words" came from the heart! :) Talk to you soon!!

WoW...I needed time to process this one. You hit the chord of humanity here. Why I inherently love all nurses, man/woman or otherwise. The emotional trauma no less than a battle weary soldier or a wizened police officer. You folks to me are the front line of human service. I've spent enough time in hospitals to have observed...and as you can guess I'm not a completely co-operative patient at the best of times.

I think this is by far the most introspective piece from someone of your profession (that word seems somehow inadequate now) I have ever felt...and I do mean felt.

Seriously though...WoW...I'm so glad you can let that out when you need to. Alone is nowhere to be with such a burden...and yes I know there are more successes than losses...you do your job...what you are here for. But the nature of the profession does not harden any but the most callous hearted...and I've seen some of that too. The losses just seem to go deeper. I think compassion just works that way.

Much love and respect @travlenurse (((hugs)))

UVed/RSed/and following!

logyx

I swear you guys are all going to make me cry again...good tears of course... Your responses have been amazing. I am thankful for your support, your appreciation for what I do, and the love you share. I am so proud and grateful that Steemit has given us the opportunity to share our truths!!! @Cryptologyx truly made my day with: "This is by far the most introspective piece from someone of your profession (that word seems somehow inadequate now) I have ever felt...and I do mean felt." I put my heart on this page and you felt alongside me. Thank you again!

Much love @yusaymon. I have seen some of your work and it is breathtaking. We all have ways of expressing ourselves...Steem ON!!!

wow that was deep this too could be how firefighter's emp's and police feel after such shocking hours of work :( thanks for sharing

I believe I am not alone! That other healthcare workers indeed feel the same way. 7cddcbdb65d0a4319acad3e4939335e6.jpg

interesting words :)

I like, Good, do not give up should the spirit for the future

The broken can be rebuilt. In the pain I find strength, become better personally and at what I do! Thanks for your thoughts :)

This post received a 5% vote by @nettybot courtesy of @sammosk from the Minnow Support Project ( @minnowsupport ). Join us in Discord.

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You guys rock! Discord in numbers....thanks for stopping by and supporting this little minnow!

Wow beautiful post! Thankful that someone who cares so much, can be there to help those passing over from this life. Elizabeth Kubler Ross has written some excellent books on the subject of dying, something we do not talk about, will be a big help for people like yourself working in the place of birth & death! These are so closely linked, each one leading to a new & unknown life! Thank you!

They are closely linked, the cycle of life. Despite the sadness, I love what I do. I am there for people when they need me the most... Its a field of giving, service above self! Thank you for your book suggestions and for reading.

This post received a 5% vote by @minnowsupport courtesy of @sammosk from the Minnow Support Project ( @minnowsupport ). Join us in Discord.

Upvoting this comment will help support @minnowsupport.

Sammo, sammo, sammo...king of all things positive! My gratitude is limitless...I'm over the moon!

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