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My life-long friend, Lloyd, has visited Hell this summer. He
has gone through a season of physical pain, emotional distress, and drug-induced
cognitive confusion. It is not over yet.
His ordeal was caused by a serious infection that required
emergency surgery. The condition created multiple systemic and, potentially
life-threatening complications. Lloyd spent six weeks in intense physical and
emotional pain as he moved from intensive care to an extended hospital stay and
then to skilled nursing care.
Recently, Lloyd was able to see visitors. I was
fortunate to be one. I felt some of his pain as he talked about the physical and psychological trauma he had experienced. I listened as he talked
about his deep appreciation of his wife, Kathy, who provided immense attention and
advocacy for Lloyd as the two of them navigated their way through an imperfect
healthcare system.
Lloyd also told me that his visit to Hell had a surprise. He
said, “I saw the face of God.” I listened as Lloyd told me that the face of God
was revealed to him in the faces of some of the caregivers he encountered who really cared. These were caregivers who over-performed their job descriptions. Lloyd told me that these were
people who, despite personal problems of their own, gave him all the support that
they possibly could when he was the most vulnerable. These were human beings who made
an authentic connection with Lloyd – a connection that transcended the roles of
patient and caregiver. These were people who shared the face of God with Lloyd
and I am glad he was able to see It.
