Remember well

“Jack died.” The night my brother, Phil, called and told me, I thought he was talking about our father, Jack. Dad was almost 90 and in declining physical and cognitive health. While his passing would be sad, it would not be unexpected and a blessing in some ways. He would be at peace; not agitated…

Worms eat my garbage

Fridays are trash day in my neighborhood. Homes here have three different bins: black for trash; blue for recycling; and a recent addition, green for yard waste. It’s surprising how much debris seems to accumulate in a week’s time. And, as the weather is getting warmer, some bins are emitting rancid smells potent enough to…

Alternatives to killing machines

EMT’s usually attempt to resuscitate and will transport a critically injured child, even if there is little expectation of survivability, which was the situation for a four-month-old in the pediatric trauma room. He had been in a car with his mother and aunts. No one survived in the other vehicle; so the “lucky” ones were on gurneys…