Often, we think that human misery is far from us! There are worse than us! We compare ourselves with the richest countries and the poorest countries and we say to ourselves: “What am I complaining about… with a full stomach! »
Posted at 2:00 p.m.
A hospital stay, in the middle of a pandemic, opened my eyes to a reality that I had underestimated! Whatever the economic and social conditions, poverty is found at all levels of society. Human distress exists in its purest form when physical strength dwindles and the care required isolates us from those we love. When our living space is invaded by the cries and pains of our neighbours. When what is needed to survive is scarce. When worry and ignorance of what is happening to us surfaces. When isolation and mental illness prevent us from being in touch with reality.
When we have lost all autonomy and we depend on the help of others which does not come, I call that human misery. There is a misery beyond having and doing. There is the misery of being.
And it is with this suffering that I was confronted during my stay in the hospital. The crowding, the disorganization of the services, the professional exhaustion of the workers, the feeling of being overwhelmed by the events, the shedding even for the emergency cases… make the work of the nurses, the attendants, the doctors and all the heroic hospital team. The patience, the warm attention to the patients, the basic care given with respect and compassion, the concern to treat each person with the greatest quality and presence possible are an admirable tour de force. To work in irritating situations without making patients feel their fatigue and exhaustion is exemplary.
I saw the wealth of mutual aid between colleagues of all levels, of all origins and of all generations. I met young women coming to the rescue of the health system with the concern of teaching their children the values of mutual aid, generosity and respect for people.
I have seen so many beautiful people choose to work at the heart of human misery here with a heart as big as the world. Angels of goodness come from everywhere to help and love us.
It was at Saint-Eustache hospital…