Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Alone

A colleague is dead. By her own hands. I never saw it coming. None of us did.

I hadn’t worked with her very long, but from the very first meeting she impressed me and made me like her.

Her other workplace environment was difficult and distressing, but she stepped up to the challenge. She was kind, compassionate and non-judgmental even while telling the patients that they were full of &#$%. I don't know anyone who didn’t feel cared for when she was around.

Somehow she held her own distress inside so well that no-one knew how sad she was, or how desperate. She cared for everyone except herself. And now she's dead, and we'll never get the chance to try to help, or to tell her that we care.

But we did.

"I walk a lonely road, the only one that I have ever known. Don't know where it goes, but it's home to me and I walk alone." (Boulevard of Broken Dreams ~ Green Day)



8 Comments:

Blogger Kim said...

Oh, how sad! : (

How is your unit handling it?

How are you handling it?

Blogger My Own Woman said...

I'm so sorry for your loss. I hope the facility you work for is providing some sort of support for the entire unit.

Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm so sorry.

Blogger NurseWilliam said...

One of my colleagues (a dear friend) killed herself last year. There was no inkling of a problem. Nobody ever saw it coming. What can one do?

Anonymous Anonymous said...

And now all who knew your coworker are experiencing post traumatic stress...replaying their last conversation with he coworkers and wondering what clue was missed. If the organization where you are employed does not provide assistance as was mentioned in an earlier comment, do yourself and everyone you work with a favor and ask your supervisor and/or human resources to make the support available.
Onehealthpro

Blogger wannabe_doctor said...

I am so sorry about your coworker.

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Blogger Unknown said...

Wow, what a sad story. I am sorry to hear about the loss. I hope that you are all doing well. Puts a hard reality on the job, being a nurse, you have to struggle through the balance of work and emotion.

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