Appreciation for our Medical Workers

After spending many days in a hospital this week, I began thinking about the Jewish concept of pikuach nefesh which says that an individual who saves one life is accounted as having saved an entire world.  The individuals working as physicians, nurses, aides, therapists, technicians, nutritionists, etc. all answer to a calling that values all of human life.  As they are treating all patients equally, the hospital workers are also trying very hard to be respectful of cultural and religious differences of their patients.  Although they value all lives, they  don’t assume that one size fits all anymore.  Let me give you an example or two.  Last Friday when I mentioned to a nurse’s aide that I preferred to spend all of Shabbat in the hospital and was hoping to do so in Charlie’s room, she informed me that it was not possible in the ICU.  Instead of leaving the situation alone, she went and signed me up for a respite room for Shabbat and brought me the keys.  When Charlie said he wanted kosher food, the vegetarian food was even brought to him in disposable containers with disposable utensils!  The overriding feeling that one gets in the hospital these days is that everyone is to be treated with respect even when perspectives differ.

Prayer seems to happen naturally in a hospital.  Whether it is friends or family calling and saying they will pray for a loved ones well-being or visits of chaplains and religious leaders being made to various hospital rooms to help families deal with stress and uncertainty, prayer abounds.  There is communication taking place between families of varied backgrounds having similar experiences, hugs between strangers, and words of encouragement offered when times seem tough.  The prophet Zachariah said that when the messianic age arrives, humanity will actively draw together.  Perhaps the natural place for that to begin is in a hospital setting where individuals of all religious backgrounds find themselves connecting to G-d in their own ways.

I saw a prayer that spoke to me in the midst of writing this drash today.  It says:

We appreciate those who touch our lives.
We appreciate those who teach by the way they live.
We appreciate the blessings we enjoy
including health when we have it
and people who pay attention to us when we do not.
We appreciate the gift of life itself.

May we all find ourselves blessed with the gift of life and health and with those who will care for us when we do not have health.  May our health care workers continue to understand the Divine charge of saving lives with compassion and wisdom and skill.

Shabbat Shalom