Clock Out and Heal

'We're doing everything possible,' the doctor would say at times to the parents as he continued the resuscitation efforts on their little girl. Expect the unexpected when you are a medical professional or a first responder. We clock into work and treat those who are sick. We see all types of death at every age. Added to that stress is the ever-changing demands of those who make and enforce regulations that govern the way that we practice. We are in it to win it for our patients. For the past twenty seven years, I work as a respiratory therapist. I clock in, work my best, then clock out and try to bury and forget the stress from my work day. But you don't forget, the memories of trauma are rude, and they will emerge again when you least expect it. Inside are actual stories of births, deaths, COVID 19, and more, bringing awareness of what we see and do. Can we truly ever clock out and heal?