Monday, July 12, 2004
Holy Ground
The wedding was wonderful! It was quite the fantastic event and brought this particular year-long run of weddings to a head. The bachelor party was loads of fun, the rehearsal and the dinner were great, the wedding was gorgeous and sacred, and the reception was, as Mark said, "storybook". In this particular wedding (and I'm not sure why this happened, but it did), the groomsmen and the bridesmaids got along really well. This is not to say at the other weddings we hated each other, but at this one we really seemed to gel. It made the whole event just a lot of fun and may have even gotten Bob a date. Alarming, I know. At the rehearsal dinner, those of us who felt moved were allowed to give a speech and a toast. Of course, I was so moved, because every event is made better if I speak. I was rather proud of myself actually that I made it all the way through my toast without shedding a tear; this was a feat not many of the other toast-givers accomplished, which, in turn caused the rest of us to cry a little. The actual wedding was co-presided over (a tradition I'm beginning to enjoy) by both the bride's pastor (Lutheran) and the Groom's uncle, who is the Right Reverend Clay Matthews, Executive Director of the Presiding Bishop's Office of Pastoral Development. It included a full Liturgy of Word and Sacrament, in addition to the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony - the way I think weddings should be done. The bride's pastor, the Rev. Elizabeth Krentz-Wee of St. Michael's Lutheran Church, delivered the sermon and celebrated Holy Communion with the Bishop. All in all, it was a gorgeous ceremony. The reception was, as noted, spectacular, and the dancing just didn't quit! We had so much fun! I wish Mason and Lucia all the best in their future together, even if they did cause a wave of nausea by deciding to have their honeymoon in St. Lucia! Seriously though, all the blessings I can give them, I do.
On the way home I must have set some sort of record. I sat next to the same person I sat next to on the way over. That's just weird. We had a nice chuckle about it. I also (finally) finished Neal Stephenson's Cryptonomicon, which was quite excellent. I highly recommend it to all; just don't be daunted by the size. It is a wonderful tale(s) with a lot of twists and turns. But really, the main reason you should read this book is just simply for the writing, which is superb! Now I am taking a break from the serious for a short time and reading this other book real fast, just so I know what other people are talking about. It is an enjoyable read though in my opinion - fast paced, with lots of action. It's just not a book you can really take seriously, though perhaps a little more seriously than his more recent blockbuster. But that is what I need right now, a book not to be taken seriously.
Now, my whole family is here for a brief visit until Thursday. HOORAY! It is great to see them and fun spending time with them, even though I have to work during the day. Tomorrow we are going to eat at the Flat Top Grill (never gone there before) and then return to my apt. for the All-Star Game. Go National League!!!
Speaking of work, it was pretty busy this afternoon, but in a good way. I got to accomplish one of my important learning sub-goals. (The primary learning goal I had for CPE was to become more comfortable with death as a part of life.) Well, I got called to one of my units this afternoon because they were making a patient palliative care, which means removing life support and helping the patient to be more comfortable until they die. The doctors knew this patient was so reliant on medication that they would die as soon as it was removed, but they kept it on until the next of kin could arrive from out of state. Well, said next of kin called and said they couldn't make it until Wednesday, but to go ahead with the palliative care proceedings. So, I walked into the room and talked to the RN for a few minutes, then talked to the patient for a few minutes, who was completely unconscious. I then began to pray the litany at time of death as the RN removed each medication tube and life support measure, peridocally glancing up to watch the vital statistics drop slowly but steadily. Not five seconds after I said the final "Amen" did the patient breathe their last. Just like that, they were gone. No drama. No excitement. They just stopped breathing and they were with Jesus. It was a sacred moment and I got to be a part of it. Later, as I spoke to John (my clinical supervisor) he said I walked on holy ground and asked me how I felt about it. I responded that, while sad, it felt good. I did a good thing today. Go with God now.
-R
The wedding was wonderful! It was quite the fantastic event and brought this particular year-long run of weddings to a head. The bachelor party was loads of fun, the rehearsal and the dinner were great, the wedding was gorgeous and sacred, and the reception was, as Mark said, "storybook". In this particular wedding (and I'm not sure why this happened, but it did), the groomsmen and the bridesmaids got along really well. This is not to say at the other weddings we hated each other, but at this one we really seemed to gel. It made the whole event just a lot of fun and may have even gotten Bob a date. Alarming, I know. At the rehearsal dinner, those of us who felt moved were allowed to give a speech and a toast. Of course, I was so moved, because every event is made better if I speak. I was rather proud of myself actually that I made it all the way through my toast without shedding a tear; this was a feat not many of the other toast-givers accomplished, which, in turn caused the rest of us to cry a little. The actual wedding was co-presided over (a tradition I'm beginning to enjoy) by both the bride's pastor (Lutheran) and the Groom's uncle, who is the Right Reverend Clay Matthews, Executive Director of the Presiding Bishop's Office of Pastoral Development. It included a full Liturgy of Word and Sacrament, in addition to the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony - the way I think weddings should be done. The bride's pastor, the Rev. Elizabeth Krentz-Wee of St. Michael's Lutheran Church, delivered the sermon and celebrated Holy Communion with the Bishop. All in all, it was a gorgeous ceremony. The reception was, as noted, spectacular, and the dancing just didn't quit! We had so much fun! I wish Mason and Lucia all the best in their future together, even if they did cause a wave of nausea by deciding to have their honeymoon in St. Lucia! Seriously though, all the blessings I can give them, I do.
On the way home I must have set some sort of record. I sat next to the same person I sat next to on the way over. That's just weird. We had a nice chuckle about it. I also (finally) finished Neal Stephenson's Cryptonomicon, which was quite excellent. I highly recommend it to all; just don't be daunted by the size. It is a wonderful tale(s) with a lot of twists and turns. But really, the main reason you should read this book is just simply for the writing, which is superb! Now I am taking a break from the serious for a short time and reading this other book real fast, just so I know what other people are talking about. It is an enjoyable read though in my opinion - fast paced, with lots of action. It's just not a book you can really take seriously, though perhaps a little more seriously than his more recent blockbuster. But that is what I need right now, a book not to be taken seriously.
Now, my whole family is here for a brief visit until Thursday. HOORAY! It is great to see them and fun spending time with them, even though I have to work during the day. Tomorrow we are going to eat at the Flat Top Grill (never gone there before) and then return to my apt. for the All-Star Game. Go National League!!!
Speaking of work, it was pretty busy this afternoon, but in a good way. I got to accomplish one of my important learning sub-goals. (The primary learning goal I had for CPE was to become more comfortable with death as a part of life.) Well, I got called to one of my units this afternoon because they were making a patient palliative care, which means removing life support and helping the patient to be more comfortable until they die. The doctors knew this patient was so reliant on medication that they would die as soon as it was removed, but they kept it on until the next of kin could arrive from out of state. Well, said next of kin called and said they couldn't make it until Wednesday, but to go ahead with the palliative care proceedings. So, I walked into the room and talked to the RN for a few minutes, then talked to the patient for a few minutes, who was completely unconscious. I then began to pray the litany at time of death as the RN removed each medication tube and life support measure, peridocally glancing up to watch the vital statistics drop slowly but steadily. Not five seconds after I said the final "Amen" did the patient breathe their last. Just like that, they were gone. No drama. No excitement. They just stopped breathing and they were with Jesus. It was a sacred moment and I got to be a part of it. Later, as I spoke to John (my clinical supervisor) he said I walked on holy ground and asked me how I felt about it. I responded that, while sad, it felt good. I did a good thing today. Go with God now.
-R
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