The Healing Touch

Mr. B. was lying on the hard, flat ER cot when I pulled back the curtain surrounding his bed. It was 5:00 a.m., and he was sleeping quietly. Given the hour, I felt a twinge of guilt at waking him up for questioning and examination, so I stared at him for a few seconds. His face was gaunt and his full head of hair a stark white. I glanced down at the triage report sheet—he was an 86-year-old male coming in with fatigue. I noticed that his legs were hanging over the edge of the cot and realized that he must be well over 6 feet tall.

I took a deep breath and walked toward his bed. My moment of hesitation stemmed from more than simply not wanting to disturb his tranquil sleep. I was nearing the end of my second straight week of 14-hour-with-no-break night shifts as the lone internist consultant in the ER. Among my fellow residents, this is recognized as a valid learning experience but a dreaded one because of the hours and never-ending flow of work. At this time …