- Email: [email protected]
Five and fifteen
Five and fifteen Author: J i m C o m p t o n , RN, CEN, D u r h a m , N o r t h C a r o l i n a
W h a t h a p p e n s b e t w e e n five a n d fifteen? I always wonder. Five years old a n d t h e y roam t h e d e p a r t m e n t - - e a g e r to please, e a g e r to learn, e a g e r for fun. "Are you g o n n a b e m y n u r s e ? " gives w a y to "Where's m y @#*@ doctor?" A n d I wonder. W h a t h a p p e n s b e t w e e n five a n d fifteen? Jim Compton is a staff nurse, Emergency Department, Durham Regional Hospital, Durham, North Carolina. Reprints not available from author. J Emerg Nurs 1996;22:631. Copyright @ 1996 by the Emergency Nurses Association. 0099-1767/96 $5.00 + 0 18/9/76931
They're still e a g e r - - t h e y ' v e too m u c h energy not to be. But it is h i d d e n , w r a p p e d up, u n d e r n e a t h so m a n y l a y e r s - - a n e x t r e m e a n d vastly p r e m a t u r e version of myself. So I always wonder. I de m y job a n d h e does his. E a g e r to b e on his w a y a n d he g o e s - - a n d I wonder. A b o u t five. A n d fifteen. A n d all t h a t lies b e t w e e n . A n d all that m u s t h a v e h a p p e n e d .
Annie Author: Valerie Aponik, RN, BS, CEN, Skowhegan, Maine
What is that sound?
Alone.
Like sleigh bells the g u r n e y tinkles into the cold b r i g h t light.
She remembers t h e g l e a m in his eye w h e n they d a n c e d while the s n o w fell. S w e a t ran d o w n her breast. His b r e a t h warm.
It hurts. She retreats from the w h i t e coats probing, steel a n d light frantic efforts.
So cold. Her a n c i e n t g n a r l e d frame folds like a flower closing. S e e k i n g within, free from t h e body.
Smiling inside. Distant heartbeat L e a v i n g those w h i t e coats b e h i n d - still fighting t h a t w h i c h s h e is r e a d y for.
Valerie Aponik is a staff nurse, Emergency Department, Mid Maine Medical Center, Waterville,Maine. Reprints not available from author. J Emerg Nurs 1996;22:631. Copyright 9 1996 by the Emergency Nurses Association. 0099-1767/96 $5.00 + 0 18/9/76932
December 1996 631
W h a t h a p p e n s b e t w e e n five a n d fifteen? I always wonder. Five years old a n d t h e y roam t h e d e p a r t m e n t - - e a g e r to please, e a g e r to learn, e a g e r for fun. "Are you g o n n a b e m y n u r s e ? " gives w a y to "Where's m y @#*@ doctor?" A n d I wonder. W h a t h a p p e n s b e t w e e n five a n d fifteen? Jim Compton is a staff nurse, Emergency Department, Durham Regional Hospital, Durham, North Carolina. Reprints not available from author. J Emerg Nurs 1996;22:631. Copyright @ 1996 by the Emergency Nurses Association. 0099-1767/96 $5.00 + 0 18/9/76931
They're still e a g e r - - t h e y ' v e too m u c h energy not to be. But it is h i d d e n , w r a p p e d up, u n d e r n e a t h so m a n y l a y e r s - - a n e x t r e m e a n d vastly p r e m a t u r e version of myself. So I always wonder. I de m y job a n d h e does his. E a g e r to b e on his w a y a n d he g o e s - - a n d I wonder. A b o u t five. A n d fifteen. A n d all t h a t lies b e t w e e n . A n d all that m u s t h a v e h a p p e n e d .
Annie Author: Valerie Aponik, RN, BS, CEN, Skowhegan, Maine
What is that sound?
Alone.
Like sleigh bells the g u r n e y tinkles into the cold b r i g h t light.
She remembers t h e g l e a m in his eye w h e n they d a n c e d while the s n o w fell. S w e a t ran d o w n her breast. His b r e a t h warm.
It hurts. She retreats from the w h i t e coats probing, steel a n d light frantic efforts.
So cold. Her a n c i e n t g n a r l e d frame folds like a flower closing. S e e k i n g within, free from t h e body.
Smiling inside. Distant heartbeat L e a v i n g those w h i t e coats b e h i n d - still fighting t h a t w h i c h s h e is r e a d y for.
Valerie Aponik is a staff nurse, Emergency Department, Mid Maine Medical Center, Waterville,Maine. Reprints not available from author. J Emerg Nurs 1996;22:631. Copyright 9 1996 by the Emergency Nurses Association. 0099-1767/96 $5.00 + 0 18/9/76932
December 1996 631