ICU

ICU

She lies silent
dwarfed by the tubes
and lines
strangely swollen
and stiff

Her fingers feel
cool
to the touch
as if they were
made of wax

The respirator
hisses and clicks
forcing air
into her sodden lungs

We are
plodding through
the tasks
of the morning
reciting lists
and numbers

grave percentages
Ransom’s Criteria
blood gases
Calcium
Hematocrit

It all seems
so inappropriately
civilized
I want
to scream

This is not
“an interesting case”
This is Mattie,
who
hugged me
just a week ago
at her annual exam

I lean over
And whisper
“Hang in there
Mattie,
It’s me..
I see you”

by: MaryBeth Salama, MD