Cold Case

Wes doesn't often confide in me about his cases at the hospital. He's a reserved guy to begin with, and it's a breach of ethics and HIPA rights -- even without names -- for him to tell me about these things. But any doctor's wife or military wife or police wife or whomever's wife knows that sometimes spouses need to share these stories and experiences in order to maintain balance in their outside relationships. Wes told me about one case he had today. I won't give details in the interest of the things mentioned above, but suffice it to say that a woman about my age went from happily married and pregnant to dead in about 24 hours. The fetus was delivered and is in critical condition. Wes had to tell the husband/father that his wife was dying. He said it was horrible. He commented specifically on the fact that, although he will soon forget the specifics of the case and the conversation, these people involved will remember it for the rest of their lives and possibly relive it. He keeps that in mind, he said, when having these conversation. I know Wes is a great doctor -- educated, dedicated, and by now very skilled -- but it still seem surreal to imagine him doctoring in the hospital. These cases in particular are hard to imagine, though it's clear he's doing a fine job.