The Last Breath – Naomi Friedman

The last moments of breath before the ventilator breathes for him are precious

This could be the last goodbye, the last facetime, the last I love you

Right before he wants to call his family

It could be the last time he speaks with them

He hangs up and looks at us anxiously

“I don’t want to die” he says

We tell him we are here for him and we will take care of him

The ET tube is supposed to help him breathe easier

To let his muscles and lungs take a break

We hope and pray this works

In our minds we know this could be the last time he interacts with people

We try to ease his fear but there are no words to provide comfort

We tell him his family loves him

The breath we used to take for granted has been taken away for so many

Each breath is precious

Remember to breathe

Remember to breathe

 

Naomi Friedman MD