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Dear ER gang, So, here I am, out on the beach at 5:30 in the evening. Elizabeth is sitting with me, drinking juice, but I´m all about the Mai Tai´s. The sun´s going down. Rachel is dipping Ella´s toes in the ocean, as they head off on a quest for the perfect seashell. And weirdly enough, I find myself thinking, you know what would make this moment complete? Some jogger dropping to the sand short of breath, so I can swoop in with a piece of bamboo to perform a nice, clean intubation, fix the guy up and send him off with a good, simple dispo. Which I guess is my way of saying that I miss you all and that dingy place. Lots of times I thought I should have chosen a different career, or gone into private practice - something easier, less grinding, more lucrative, but since I´ve been gone, I realize that outside of what I´m doing right now - sitting on this beach with my family - staying at County all those years, doing what we do on a daily basis, was the best choice I ever made. I know what you´re thinking, but trust me, it´s not so hard to appreciate once it´s over. As much as part of me would like to believe that the ER can´t go on without me, a smarter part realizes that you´re an incredible group of doctors and nurses, who approach every day with such skill, compassion and thoroughness that, when it comes to patient care, I know my absence will hardly be felt. As for friendship and camaraderie - well, that´s another matter. In order to leave, I had to go the way I did, but I wouldn´t want any of you to think that that meant I didn´t value each of you and the years that we worked together. Or that I didn´t have things of a more personal nature to say. Most of you, I think, have an idea of what those things might be without me writing them down, but still... Ella is laughing and waving for me; Rachel´s found her shell... - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Mark died this morning at 6:04 am. The sun was rising. His favorite time of day. I sent this on so that you might know he was thinking of you all and that he appreciated knowing you would remember him well. Elizabeth Corday