Mesothelioma Nurse Encourages Others to Reach Out After a Tragedy

• Lisa Hyde-Barrett
• Nurse's Corner, Uncategorized

Isolation is a problem in the society we live in – we are all busy and we lose touch with each other. Being buried in our day to day lives is overwhelming, and at times, too much. Loss and grief can overtake us.

Last month a tragedy occurred at Brigham and Women’s Hospital when a man killed a young, brilliant, father and surgeon. How can something like this happen?

By all reports the shooter’s family was just as shocked as everyone else – something that was totally out of character for him. Grief seemed to have played a part in this senseless tragedy. Dr Michael Davidson had operated on the shooter’s mother in the late fall. She was being transferred to a rehab facility when she became ill and was admitted to another hospital where she then died.

What drove the man to blame the doctor who had tried to help his mother to kill him and then himself? We will never know what happened in his mind to lead to the events of that cold January morning, but the effects of this act have shattered a young family and left a toll on all that knew the 44-year-old doctor.

When diagnosed with mesothelioma, you and your family have to confront what none of us want to- the fact that we are all mortal. The people who have dedicated their professional lives to finding a cure, advancing treatment and studying are here to help. Although treatment does not always go the way we want, it is not someone’s fault when it fails.

Look around at your family and friends. Reach out to someone who you think might be having a hard time. Sometimes people just need someone to listen to them.

A young family is now without their beloved husband, father. His children will grow up without him. A senseless and tragic loss.