Photo credit @Rochelle Wisoff-Fields
Home is Where the Heart Lands
By T. Delaplain
Mind if I take a look at that leg of yours, Mary?”
“It ain’t nothing Doc. Remember, I was a nurse at County before the whiskey.”
The crusted gray strips of fabric, fell in a stinking green spiral.
“You’ve got gangrene?”
“Sure do, I been smelling it, ‘bout three days. I can hear your thoughts Doc, I ain’t going. You got any penicillin in that bag of yours? That’ll do.”
I reluctantly drew up a slug of antibiotics.
“A kid came into camp last night. Maybe 14, pregnant, running from her stepdad. You got any magic in that bag for her?”
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Join us at Friday Fictioneers. Rochelle will give you 100 words to tell your tale. Please leave your muddy shoes outside. Fictioneers, I’m having trouble commenting on some of your blogs today. I’m in Mexico so it might be that. I’m sorry but please know that I’m reading most of your tales.
It is so easy for all of us to get caught up in the media frenzy telling us how divided we are and how we are surrounded by evil and despair. There is so much good and so many compassionate people in the world? Let us not forget, every firefighter, healthcare provider, police officer, social worker and random stranger who reaches out to those less fortunate, sometimes facing great personal risk. They are the people who run into the fire.
Here are two stories from the Camp Fire, near my summer home. California’s deadliest fire to date.
Nurse Flees Fire with Patients
Nurse Returns to Burning Hospital
Tracey Delaplain, MD 
I hope your summer home is okay Tracey, the stories coming out of California are devastating. Enjoyed the voices in your story.
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Our home is about 30 miles from the fire line. Our tiny community housed hundreds of evacuees. The stories of missing humans and pets are heartbreaking. The entire town of Paradise is gone.
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😦
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You’re right. We hear much less of the people who hold out a helping hand
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Compassion doesn’t sell newspapers. Sad but true. Every day heroism is ignored.
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You’ve conveyed a huge story here – and with such an authentic voice. Well done!
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
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Thank you Susan. I read your fiction this week but couldn’t comment from Mexico. Oh well, at least the sun is shining and the sea is warm here. Ha ha
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I fell in love with this character completely!
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She’s tough but it doesn’t look good for Mary. There might be a bigger story here. 🤔 Thanks for stopping by.
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Even in the depths of their own problems, some people still think only about others.
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God bless the nurses, a truly selfless group.
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This is the kind of story that doesn’t make the headlines, yet it plays out somewhere everyday. It’s good to know there are still people who care about others and are willing to take risks and put themselves in harm’s way to do the right thing.
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Sadly there are some things medicine can’t cure.
(Possibly Mary’s leg is also one of them – it doesn’t sound too good.)
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I was just saying the other day when I was at the department store that most people are good. We only hear about the bad ones because they are louder. Your nurse is VERY quiet.
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Quiet courage indeed. Thanks Dawn.
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This was a wonderful take, Tracey. The quiet heroes are everywhere if we bother to look.
Keep safe out there!
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I sometimes feel grief that I’m no longer saving lives with a scapel but my new life’s work is fighting hunger and all health starts with food.
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You are still doing good – and goo that really seems to excite you and make you feel good about it.
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Some lady this Mary, with gangrene on her leg she is thinking of welfare of someone else! God bless her!
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Yes, God bless the nurses among us. Thank you.
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A seriously good take in everyway, really makes you sit up and think about those who battle on without regard for their own wellbeing.
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Thanks Michael. Mary was definitely one who was called to serve. I feel that way about medicine as well.
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Whiskey, the root of all failure – but no one is listening. Perhaps Mary is over committed to her own detriment.
**
Wild fires are that, out of control and I feel for those poor people. I was involved in digging a fire break across a hillside to halt its progress. The smoke was the worst. But it was not anywhere near as the ones I’ve seen on the news from California.
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Thanks James. I’m watching from Mexico but these are my summer neighbors who’ve lost everything.
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The first lesson in helping others is to make sure you are ok. Hope the penicillin works miracles for her so she can continue to work her own miracles.
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I’m fond of saying, “Always put on your own oxygen mask first.” Mary knows she’s dying and the doc and she both know that a shot of penicillin isn’t going to save her. Thanks for stopping by.
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So sorry to hear on the news of the awful fires in California, one can only imagine the heartbreak and suffering.
I am sorry you are affected so closely but it sounds like your summer house town was very welcoming to those poor desperate souls.
Both your relief worker and Mary are putting others before themselves, but I hope both Mary and the girl get appropriate care before its too late. A dead martyr cant help anyone, anymore.
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So true about martyrs. Thank you for stopping by. My thoughts are in California even though I’m not there.
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An interesting take on the prompt. I like the idea that the doctor’s bag contains magic. A great little tale.
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Half of medical practice is the belief that it will work. There’s a bit of magic in that. Thank you for stopping by.
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Economical but graphic writing. “Before the whiskey”. “You got any magic in that bag?” Terrific storytelling.
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Thank you Jilly.
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The dialogue in your story was very compelling. I feel like I know the main character, on the other side of addiction. She is no less a person who cares for the people in her new community. I also appreciated your comment! Sorry to hear about how the fires are affecting you personally. Take care!
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Thanks Brenda
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One horror after another. Gritty, real, believable.
I’ve never experienced being anywhere near a forest fire. Horrendous loss of life. Many heroes and heroines.
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Thank you
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Dear Tracey,
A masterful story of humanity and compassion. Your reminder is one we all due well to heed. I’ll bet your patients loved you with good reason.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thank you Rochelle. What a lovely compliment.
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Once a nurse… can you ever cease to care about those who have it worse?
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Nurses are the eyes and ears and sometimes the heart of the doctor.
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Lovely and oh so sad! Once and always will be a nurse… looking out for others first
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So true, thanks Laurie
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I love the character here. There is so many layers to this story. Gorgeous writing.
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