I’m waiting for my student. He’s late.
The thing about patience is that it has to be mindful. You have to cultivate it.
I know this.
I’m still impatient.
It’s okay though, he’s traveling decades to be here.
The ghosts of the past are always whispering, and never far. 1/
The thing about patience is that it has to be mindful. You have to cultivate it.
I know this.
I’m still impatient.
It’s okay though, he’s traveling decades to be here.
The ghosts of the past are always whispering, and never far. 1/
He appears at my side, muttering apologies under his breath.
I look at him, and note how formally he’s dressed.
He laughs at my raised brows, “This is what I always wear.”
I shrug, and grin.
Things have changed a lot since his days. 2/
I look at him, and note how formally he’s dressed.
He laughs at my raised brows, “This is what I always wear.”
I shrug, and grin.
Things have changed a lot since his days. 2/
We start walking through the network of hallways in the hospital.
I ask him about his prior experiences, and he mumbles something about surgeries and sanitation. I quirk a brow, but he ignores me.
He’s looking around, his eyes wide. 3/
I ask him about his prior experiences, and he mumbles something about surgeries and sanitation. I quirk a brow, but he ignores me.
He’s looking around, his eyes wide. 3/
“What is it?” I finally ask.
“Everything... is just so clean. And bright. Almost like it’s been sterilized.”
“Yes, cleanliness is everything.”
He nods. “So… germs... they’re real.”
Is he serious? I frown. “You know they are. You of all people.”
He smiles at this. 4/
“Everything... is just so clean. And bright. Almost like it’s been sterilized.”
“Yes, cleanliness is everything.”
He nods. “So… germs... they’re real.”
Is he serious? I frown. “You know they are. You of all people.”
He smiles at this. 4/
I decide not to start with the ICU like I normally do. He’ll probably find that overwhelming.
We make our way to a regular medical floor. He seems more relaxed here.
Still, he has a million questions.
That’s to be expected. After all, he is a student, and far from home. 5/
We make our way to a regular medical floor. He seems more relaxed here.
Still, he has a million questions.
That’s to be expected. After all, he is a student, and far from home. 5/
“Those devices are ... intravenous? They stay in there?”
“Yes, they’re plastic IV catheters.”
“Plastic...”
“Yes.”
“Remarkable.”
Later he seems relieved to see me use my stethoscope, and uses his also.
Afterwards at a computer station, he is totally confused. 6/
“Yes, they’re plastic IV catheters.”
“Plastic...”
“Yes.”
“Remarkable.”
Later he seems relieved to see me use my stethoscope, and uses his also.
Afterwards at a computer station, he is totally confused. 6/
I don’t expect him to understand how a computer works. He still has decades to go.
His eyes widen when I show him X-rays, CT scans.
“You can see inside the body of a living human being?”
I nod.
He is stunned.
He shakes his head in wonder, “Wizardry.”
I smile, “Science.” 7/
His eyes widen when I show him X-rays, CT scans.
“You can see inside the body of a living human being?”
I nod.
He is stunned.
He shakes his head in wonder, “Wizardry.”
I smile, “Science.” 7/
During lunch, he looks around and comments on how most everyone is glued to their phones.
“People don’t talk to each other anymore.”
I shrug, “Oh, they still talk.”
He shakes his head, “Not like they used to. They prefer their windows.”
“Windows?”
“Into other worlds.” 8/
“People don’t talk to each other anymore.”
I shrug, “Oh, they still talk.”
He shakes his head, “Not like they used to. They prefer their windows.”
“Windows?”
“Into other worlds.” 8/
He doesn’t touch his food. I probably wouldn’t eat either, were our roles reversed. It would all be overwhelming.
He’s not just a student. He’s a time traveler. Literally.
But we don’t have time to share stories right now, I have more to do.
We head to the ICU. 9/
He’s not just a student. He’s a time traveler. Literally.
But we don’t have time to share stories right now, I have more to do.
We head to the ICU. 9/
We see our first patient, mechanically ventilated and on dialysis.
As expected, there are many questions.
“This machine breathes for them? This one replaces kidneys? Those lines on the wall are cardiac activity? Impossible…”
He is breathless. Disbelieving. 10/
As expected, there are many questions.
“This machine breathes for them? This one replaces kidneys? Those lines on the wall are cardiac activity? Impossible…”
He is breathless. Disbelieving. 10/
I explain as best as I can. I can’t cover it all.
He nods in silence as he listens, a somber expression on his face.
We enter a patient’s room, and exit together a short while later.
“That was so quick.” He looks to me, puzzled.
“Well, it is a simple problem.” 11/
He nods in silence as he listens, a somber expression on his face.
We enter a patient’s room, and exit together a short while later.
“That was so quick.” He looks to me, puzzled.
“Well, it is a simple problem.” 11/
He frowns slightly, “But you’re not treating a problem, you’re treating a person. They need more from you than that.”
It’s my turn to fall silent.
The student speaks again, “Forgive me, I was judgmental.”
I shake my head, “No, you’re right. Some things shouldn’t change.” 12/
It’s my turn to fall silent.
The student speaks again, “Forgive me, I was judgmental.”
I shake my head, “No, you’re right. Some things shouldn’t change.” 12/
As we continue rounding, I notice him staring at members of the care teams.
I know what he’s thinking. “You’re seeing more differences than you’re used to, right? Colors, accents, genders?”
He nods, something dawning, “We have a lot of work to do.”
“So do we.” 13/
I know what he’s thinking. “You’re seeing more differences than you’re used to, right? Colors, accents, genders?”
He nods, something dawning, “We have a lot of work to do.”
“So do we.” 13/
Next, an ER consult has my student wanting to know more.
“Why are there so many gunshot wounds?”
“Uhm... there’s many reasons for that.”
“Well, how many militias ARE there?! Are we still at war?!”
I sigh, as he shakes his head despairingly. 14/
“Why are there so many gunshot wounds?”
“Uhm... there’s many reasons for that.”
“Well, how many militias ARE there?! Are we still at war?!”
I sigh, as he shakes his head despairingly. 14/
The day passes. A typical day for me in the hospital, made unusual by the presence of my peculiar visitor.
At day’s end, we walk outside the hospital and sit in silence on a bench, overlooking a grassy field.
“So,” I finally ask, “What do you think of modern medicine?” 15/
At day’s end, we walk outside the hospital and sit in silence on a bench, overlooking a grassy field.
“So,” I finally ask, “What do you think of modern medicine?” 15/
The student rubs his chin in thought, then laughs.
“This is all magic to me. You have to understand, I can’t begin to know the science here. You give medicines into veins, fight infections, treat organ failures, cure cancers, perform major surgeries through tiny holes...” 16/
“This is all magic to me. You have to understand, I can’t begin to know the science here. You give medicines into veins, fight infections, treat organ failures, cure cancers, perform major surgeries through tiny holes...” 16/
“This future, it gives me hope...” He trails off.
I pause, then ask, “But?”
“I don’t know. You stand on the shoulders of giants to perform everyday miracles, but people don’t respect it... or each other. Nobody talks... they don’t SEE each other, just stare at screens.” 17/
I pause, then ask, “But?”
“I don’t know. You stand on the shoulders of giants to perform everyday miracles, but people don’t respect it... or each other. Nobody talks... they don’t SEE each other, just stare at screens.” 17/
I listen as he tries to put his frustrations into words.
“The family you were talking to about costs, I was watching their faces. Why is all this so expensive? Who decides? You fix someone, then break their backs with debt. It’s like you haven’t healed them at all.” 18/
“The family you were talking to about costs, I was watching their faces. Why is all this so expensive? Who decides? You fix someone, then break their backs with debt. It’s like you haven’t healed them at all.” 18/
The student trails off.
After a long moment he turns and offers me his hand, “Thank you for today, Sayed.”
I smile, “No, thank you Joseph.”
Before I can shake his hand, he’s gone.
I sit, alone with my thoughts.
The ghosts of the past are always whispering, and never far.
After a long moment he turns and offers me his hand, “Thank you for today, Sayed.”
I smile, “No, thank you Joseph.”
Before I can shake his hand, he’s gone.
I sit, alone with my thoughts.
The ghosts of the past are always whispering, and never far.
• • •
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