I ALSO, AM A HUMAN BEING
Norbert, a prisoner/patient, was a small, skinny, middle aged man who was seriously ill of lung cancer. He already had one lung surgically removed. Norbert showed me a hole under a bandaged patch on one armpit beside his chest. Lifting out this patch, he said, “You see this hole? This is why the prison system is letting me go. They know I will die soon.” Norbert was talking about a Medical Parole granted by the Corrections Department in a few cases like his. This hole was probably left to facilitate draining the fluid collecting in his lungs. He was still feisty and constantly complaining about the cancer treatment he was getting at the prison hospital.
Norbert was also a Vietnam veteran. In my early years of prison hospice work, I was surprised to meet so many prisoner/patients who were Vietnam War veterans. This man was bothered by an incident in one of his combat missions where he shot and killed a Vietnamese boy. I asked Norbert, “What would have happened if you did not kill him?” He answered, “The boy was holding a rifle. I don’t know. I have nightmares seeing him in my dreams.” Norbert obviously was still suffering from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) due to his combat experience.
Being a Hospice spiritual volunteer, I sometimes quote, for Norbert in this case, a few Bible readings and some of the Psalms. Norbert’s usual responses to all these readings were, “Yeah, Yeah ...”. Clearly he was not really interested in spiritual quotes or formal prayers. However, Norbert told me more than once, “Yes, I believe in God”.
Norbert’s behavior of anger and frustration directed at the Prison System concerning his health care treatments continued, to the point of threatening to sue the Corrections Department, for a few more weeks. However it was clear Norbert was losing the battle of staying alive. As the weeks went by, Norbert was now getting weaker and becoming less combative. Many of these prisoner/patients who get admitted to this hospital, know the hospital is their last stop. Being admitted to this hospital is in their words “the final death sentence” for them.
The last time I saw Norbert was the day before he was to be medically paroled. In that last conversation he was very emotional talking about his parents and other people he was close to in his life. At one point he said to me, “I wish to be buried beside my parents in a cemetery in Pennsylvania”. This was the first time I’ve seen Norbert cry. After I said goodbye to him, he came up to me and gave me a strong long hug. As I was leaving the prison hospital, I thought to myself, “This was all Norbert ever wanted from me!” But again, it was possible it was not me Norbert wanted to hold unto. He may have wanted to hold unto his love ones or Jesus Christ himself.
The next day on Herbert’s release, his relatives met him at the prison to take custody of him. Less then twenty four hours after his release, Norbert died. I hope his wish of being buried beside his parents in Pennsylvania came true.
Since Norbert was a Vietnam veteran, I am closing his story recalling on TV how the “Battle Hymn of the Republic” was sung by some US soldiers in Vietnam, revised with their own rendition.
“Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord …….
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! What a hell of a way to die! …….”
Norbert, a prisoner/patient, was a small, skinny, middle aged man who was seriously ill of lung cancer. He already had one lung surgically removed. Norbert showed me a hole under a bandaged patch on one armpit beside his chest. Lifting out this patch, he said, “You see this hole? This is why the prison system is letting me go. They know I will die soon.” Norbert was talking about a Medical Parole granted by the Corrections Department in a few cases like his. This hole was probably left to facilitate draining the fluid collecting in his lungs. He was still feisty and constantly complaining about the cancer treatment he was getting at the prison hospital.
Norbert was also a Vietnam veteran. In my early years of prison hospice work, I was surprised to meet so many prisoner/patients who were Vietnam War veterans. This man was bothered by an incident in one of his combat missions where he shot and killed a Vietnamese boy. I asked Norbert, “What would have happened if you did not kill him?” He answered, “The boy was holding a rifle. I don’t know. I have nightmares seeing him in my dreams.” Norbert obviously was still suffering from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) due to his combat experience.
Being a Hospice spiritual volunteer, I sometimes quote, for Norbert in this case, a few Bible readings and some of the Psalms. Norbert’s usual responses to all these readings were, “Yeah, Yeah ...”. Clearly he was not really interested in spiritual quotes or formal prayers. However, Norbert told me more than once, “Yes, I believe in God”.
Norbert’s behavior of anger and frustration directed at the Prison System concerning his health care treatments continued, to the point of threatening to sue the Corrections Department, for a few more weeks. However it was clear Norbert was losing the battle of staying alive. As the weeks went by, Norbert was now getting weaker and becoming less combative. Many of these prisoner/patients who get admitted to this hospital, know the hospital is their last stop. Being admitted to this hospital is in their words “the final death sentence” for them.
The last time I saw Norbert was the day before he was to be medically paroled. In that last conversation he was very emotional talking about his parents and other people he was close to in his life. At one point he said to me, “I wish to be buried beside my parents in a cemetery in Pennsylvania”. This was the first time I’ve seen Norbert cry. After I said goodbye to him, he came up to me and gave me a strong long hug. As I was leaving the prison hospital, I thought to myself, “This was all Norbert ever wanted from me!” But again, it was possible it was not me Norbert wanted to hold unto. He may have wanted to hold unto his love ones or Jesus Christ himself.
The next day on Herbert’s release, his relatives met him at the prison to take custody of him. Less then twenty four hours after his release, Norbert died. I hope his wish of being buried beside his parents in Pennsylvania came true.
Since Norbert was a Vietnam veteran, I am closing his story recalling on TV how the “Battle Hymn of the Republic” was sung by some US soldiers in Vietnam, revised with their own rendition.
“Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord …….
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! What a hell of a way to die! …….”
posted by Antonio at 9:59 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home