It has been my experience, that when you are tired (I mean tired to the soul), memories are imprinted in a series of “snapshots” that expand into full movies, kind of like thumbnails of movies on YouTube.

This was the case today.

I have the privilege of working all over the hospital, not just with “my people”, but going from ER to the OR and everywhere in-between. So I see so many things that they “store “ as snapshots or moments in time that I can touch and replay at will ( and sometimes they replay against my will). I’ll share some of them with you.

– The barely controlled frenetic energy of the emergency room, hazmat suited doctors and nurses contrasting with the aides trying to choose a good food tray for that “patient in 8 who is really hungry”.

– The zush zush zush sound of the nurses and aides as they walk through the halls in their tyvek “bunny suits“ going from room to room taking care of the dying and the not dying yet.

– The eerie subdued lighting and oppressive quiet of what was once a holding room for elective procedures that is now a “fishbowl” of Covid patients all in a circle. Those of us working inside quietly desperate as we can almost “feel” the virus in the air.

– The frightened look in the eyes of the nurse caring for the Covid patient in the recovery room isolation area, her unseen smile and insouciant attitude covering up her fear.

– Half heard conversations on the new temporary ICUs among nurses who have never met before, declaring bravely that “we’re the cool kids now” as they gear up.

– And finally the seemingly endless phone calls I made to Spanish speaking families (I’m native born Spanish speaker in case you didn’t know) about how their Mom/Dad/Son/Daughter/Grandmother/Grandfather is NOT going to get better and that yes, I will pray with them.

Hey, stay safe, get some rest, so we can do it again tomorrow.