I was a microbiology grad student. We lived in a large, busy
Spartan Village in married student housing, fall 1973.
Gravid wife, concerned like many of the wives about
A long train obstructing transport to Sparrow Hospital,
Railroad tracks next to Spartan Village, if she
Goes into labor.
She does deliver without incident.
Three weeks post-partum, I take lactating Mom and baby in tow,
Eat at the downstairs restaurant, Cave of the Candles.
Then splurge, go to the popular movie, Serpico.
Baby is quiet most of the movie, sit in the back row.
Even with GI bill, money is scarce. A few times
I successfully played poker at the VFW.
I leave after making $30, in the active back room,
Not to draw attention from the other players.
MSU is a botanist’s dream campus
Genus/species neatly named under every tree,
Bush and large flower display, on campus.
Black squirrels all over the campus, new to me.
In the late Spring many parakeets in the trees,
Pets that are set free, by departing students.
A good zoo for the kids in town.
MSU is a livable place for families.
This year is 2023, fifty years later.
Already more than 560 mass shootings in 2023,
Instead of confirming quercus alba
At the base of the oak tree.
The student is evaluating whether that sidewalk
Is a good escape route from a building.
Grab a group of friends and head over to the
Student union for burgers and a smoothie.
I don’t think so.
Pick up John and Susie at Berkey Hall?
Not today.
Politicians don’t intubate students needing a breathing tube.
They are not in the room for a multiple trauma code team response.
The coordinated dance of general surgery, neurosurgery,
Orthopedics anesthesiology, radiology, IV service with blood products, etc.
Politicians don’t sit in on the hushed, stark discussions about
Emergent surgery for the teens and young adults.
Politicians are not there for the re-op for the “crashing”
Critical abdominal bleed at 3 a.m.
They are not there for the surgical/hospital rounds at least three
Times a day for days and weeks.
Politicians are not there when the medical team
Breaks the news to the family, the brilliant student was
DOA (dead on arrival), to the ER.
Politicians are not there with the agonizing discussions
About advanced directives, do not resuscitate code status for the patient,
Between the medical team and family.
Politicians are not there when the donor team is talking with
The grieving family about harvesting a heart, corneas, kidney, liver, etc.
From their child.
Their neurologically, clinically dead child, young adult, is on a
Ventilator; and the donor team is awaiting a “yes”
From the grieving family to proceed with harvesting organs.
Stephen E. Holmes, MD, Rochester, Minnesota
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