Ladies, I am terrified.<\/p>\n
I wrote a more PC version of this op-ed. But here, I\u2019d like to assume I\u2019m amongst friends – those who may be having similar thoughts this week. I had to write this because it\u2019s the only way I think I\u2019ll be able to sleep.<\/p>\n
I started my career in an ER that saw a significant amount of walk-in trauma.\u00a0\u00a0 Eventually I left that department and moved on to another ER that primarily sees medical emergencies. For a while, I truly missed being involved in treating trauma patients. I missed the adrenaline, excitement and fervor that ensues after a penetrating trauma is dropped off in the ER driveway.<\/p>\n
But I just don\u2019t feel that way anymore. There\u2019s no single reason for this I imagine: Non-clinical interests? Burnout? Difficult patients? Opioid crisis? Aging? Motherhood?<\/p>\n
Mass shootings? This. Definitely this.<\/p>\n
I know better than to believe that my written opinions on gun control will change anyone\u2019s minds today. This is an article full of questions. This is an article about us as physicians and women, our humanity, our hearts, our families, our children and the communities we serve.<\/p>\n
I know so many of my colleagues out there on the front lines at trauma centers have born witness to horrific scenes. Even more are out there wondering if it will be their turn next. Today our colleagues are crying in Florida. Before this, our colleagues shed tears in Nevada, Texas, California, South Carolina, Connecticut\u2026 the list goes on and on.<\/p>\n
I cannot imagine how unbearable it would be to witness such tragedy. How did you do it? How did you handle watching the soul of a child being ripped away from their body? How did you formulate words to say that would forever destroy lives? How do you put one foot forward? How do you sleep, eat or laugh after what you\u2019ve seen? How do you drop off your kids to school?<\/p>\n
Every few days that I learn of another mass shooting, I grow less and less nostalgic of my days seeing trauma patients. But whether I like it or not, my decision to walk away from working at a trauma center will not protect me if a mass shooting comes to my town. I know that this is our specialty\u2019s new reality. It could be any one of us, any day, at anytime that is shoved onto that frontline.<\/p>\n
Despite all my reasoning about this new reality, I cannot seem to reconcile what I know with what I feel. I just don\u2019t want to think about it. I don\u2019t want to come to terms with it. I don\u2019t want to be prepared.\u00a0 I don\u2019t want any more disaster drill training.<\/p>\n
I don\u2019t want to be terrified anymore.<\/p>\n
If the \u201cconversations\u201d on social media are any indication, we will not be agreeing today on guns. Even amongst \u201cour own\u201d on social media, the dialogues are exasperating. They accomplish nothing outside of creating unproductive arguments that go round and round without any resolution, agreement or plan of action to work towards stopping this madness.\u00a0 Instead so many people continue to die before they hit our doors or shortly afterwards. \u00a0Despite every procedure, resuscitation attempt, or bedside prayer they die. So what things, whether gun advocate or gun hater, can we as women, physicians and healers agree on to make this stop? What CAN we start to do to help?\u00a0 I just feel so desperately that something needs to budge. I will beg at the feet of politicians if I must.\u00a0 I want to move on to a conversation that works so that instead of arguing in circles we can finally start towards something, ANYTHING, that produces change.<\/p>\n
Is it fair to assume, as a group, that we believe an increase in mass shootings is occurring in our society? That we believe in science? That we believe mass shootings are a public health emergency? That we need more research on this?<\/p>\n
That we do not want to see any more masses of mothers, fathers and children dying on our doorsteps?<\/p>\n
So if we can agree on those points, where can we start? Is it to find the means and funding to start real research into this matter? Is it to advocate for emotional education? Is it to tell our true ER stories to every news outlet that will listen, exposing the lack of resources available for the mentally ill? Is it collaboration with our pediatric and psychiatry colleagues to advocate for increased mental health care funding? Perhaps create a joint statement from various colleges? Is it to implore our states for help our schools support children and parents in need? Is it to raise money for security and metal detectors, as appalling as that sounds? Is it to increase awareness of physical and cyber bullying? Is it to find better ways to identify at risk patients who come through our door?<\/p>\n
And then, what do we need to do for ourselves? Do we need to create better support systems for our colleagues who are involved in treating victims of mass shootings?\u00a0 Should we be trained on recognizing PTSD in our own colleagues and staff?<\/p>\n
Where in that list should we start? And most importantly, when can we finally stop arguing and start talking like a civilization that deserves better than terror?<\/p>\n
I hope if we can start somewhere with civility and some success, then maybe we can finally talk about the AR-15 elephant in the room.<\/p>\n
I wrote this article of questions because frankly – I don\u2019t know the answers myself. But I hope as a group of people that should be leaders in society, we can discuss and finally do something.<\/p>\n
The image chosen is of a bronze sculpture by Swedish artist\u00a0Carl Fredrik Reutersw\u00e4rd called “Non-Violence.” The sculpture sits at the UN Headquarters in New York City.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Ladies, I am terrified. I wrote a more PC version of this op-ed. But here, I\u2019d like to assume I\u2019m amongst friends – those who may be having similar thoughts this week. I had to write this because it\u2019s the…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":272,"featured_media":8672,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"jetpack_publicize_message":"Can we agree mass shootings are a public health emergency @msmemesha @choo_ek @meganranney @darakass","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[4],"tags":[169,436],"coauthors":[435],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n