Unexpected Letter From ER Doctor May Make You Tear Up

<base href="data:"><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; text-align: left; "><div class="articleBody" itemprop="articleBody" style="list-style-type: none; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; text-decoration: none; overflow-x: visible; overflow-y: visible; text-indent: 0px; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 16px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); position: static; z-index: auto; "><p style="list-style-type: none; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; text-decoration: none; overflow-x: visible; overflow-y: visible; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); text-indent: 1.5em; font-size: 15px; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; text-align: justify; line-height: 21px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; ">True love and compassion aren't easy to ignore.</p><p style="list-style-type: none; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; text-decoration: none; overflow-x: visible; overflow-y: visible; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); text-indent: 1.5em; font-size: 15px; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; text-align: justify; line-height: 21px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; ">This week, a 24-year-old Redditor <a href="http://imgur.com/gallery/pekfXzk" target="_hplink" style="list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: none; text-decoration: underline; overflow: visible; color: rgb(0, 136, 195) !important; text-indent: 0px !important; outline: none; cursor: pointer; ">shared a letter</a> received just after the death of his mother. The event, despite being difficult, brought an unexpected source of condolence -- a personal note from a physician who had never contacted a patient's family before.</p><p style="list-style-type: none; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; text-decoration: none; overflow-x: visible; overflow-y: visible; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); text-indent: 1.5em; font-size: 15px; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; text-align: justify; line-height: 21px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; ">"The letter was written for my father," he told The Huffington Post on Friday. "He stayed by her side until the very end."</p><p style="list-style-type: none; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; text-decoration: none; overflow-x: visible; overflow-y: visible; text-indent: 1.5em; font-size: 15px; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; text-align: justify; line-height: 21px; font-variant: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); ">The letter reads:</span></p><blockquote style="list-style-type: none; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial; margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 15px; padding-right: 15px; padding-bottom: 15px; padding-left: 15px; border-top-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-right-style: solid; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); text-decoration: none; overflow-x: visible; overflow-y: visible; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); text-indent: 0px !important; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; background-color: rgb(245, 240, 227) !important; position: static; z-index: auto; ">Dear Mr. (removed),<p style="list-style: none; margin: 8px 0px 15px; padding: 0px; border: none; text-decoration: none; overflow: visible; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); text-indent: 1.5em; font-size: 15px; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; text-align: justify; line-height: 21px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; ">I am the Emergency Medicine physician who treated your wife Mrs (removed) last Sunday in the Emergency Department at (hospital). I learned only yesterday about her passing away and wanted to write to you to express my sadness. <strong style="list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: none; text-decoration: none; overflow: visible; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-indent: 0px !important; ">In my twenty years as a doctor in the Emergency Room, I have never written to a patient</strong> or a family member, as our encounters are typically hurried and do not always allow for more personal interaction.</p><p style="list-style: none; margin: 8px 0px 15px; padding: 0px; border: none; text-decoration: none; overflow: visible; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); text-indent: 1.5em; font-size: 15px; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; text-align: justify; line-height: 21px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; ">However, in your case, <strong style="list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: none; text-decoration: none; overflow: visible; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-indent: 0px !important; ">I felt a special connection to your wife</strong> (removed), who was so engaging and cheerful in spite of her illness and trouble breathing. I was also touched by the fact that you seemed to be a very loving couple. You were highly supportive of her, asking the right questions with calm, care and concern. From my experience as a physician, I find that the love and support of a spouse or a family member is the most soothing gift, bringing peace and serenity to those critically ill.</p><p style="list-style: none; margin: 8px 0px 15px; padding: 0px; border: none; text-decoration: none; overflow: visible; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); text-indent: 1.5em; font-size: 15px; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; text-align: justify; line-height: 21px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; ">I am sorry for your loss and I hope you can find comfort in the memory of your wife's great spirit and of your loving bond. My heartfelt condolences go out to you and your family.</p><p style="list-style: none; margin: 8px 0px 15px; padding: 0px; border: none; text-decoration: none; overflow: visible; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); text-indent: 1.5em; font-size: 15px; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; text-align: justify; line-height: 21px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; ">(removed), MD</p></blockquote><p style="list-style-type: none; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; text-decoration: none; overflow-x: visible; overflow-y: visible; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); text-indent: 1.5em; font-size: 15px; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; text-align: justify; line-height: 21px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; ">According to the Redditor, his mother had breast cancer. A month ago, breathing difficulties landed her in the hospital, and 16 hours later, she passed away.</p><p style="list-style-type: none; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; text-decoration: none; overflow-x: visible; overflow-y: visible; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); text-indent: 1.5em; font-size: 15px; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; text-align: justify; line-height: 21px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; ">Surprisingly, the doctor who wrote the letter had never met or treated his mother until that day.</p><p style="list-style-type: none; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; text-decoration: none; overflow-x: visible; overflow-y: visible; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); text-indent: 1.5em; font-size: 15px; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; text-align: justify; line-height: 21px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; ">"If my mother were alive to see this, she would want readers to reflect on the power of showing compassion towards a total stranger," he told HuffPost.</p><p style="list-style-type: none; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; text-decoration: none; overflow-x: visible; overflow-y: visible; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); text-indent: 1.5em; font-size: 15px; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; text-align: justify; line-height: 21px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; ">"The support I got from Reddit was amazing -- doctors, nurses and other Redditors who have lost their mothers to cancer were all shocked and amazed that the doctor took the time to write such a heartfelt, meaningful letter," he added.</p></div><div style="list-style-type: none; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; text-decoration: none; overflow-x: visible; overflow-y: visible; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-indent: 0px; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 16px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "></div><div style="list-style-type: none; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; text-decoration: none; overflow-x: visible; overflow-y: visible; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-indent: 0px; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 16px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "></div></div><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/09/letter-from-er-doctor-sho_n_2649578.html?">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/09/letter-from-er-doctor-sho_n_2649578.html?</a><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; color: black; text-align: left; "><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div>

Unexpected Letter From ER Doctor May Make You Tear Up

True love and compassion aren't easy to ignore. This week, a 24-year-old Redditor  shared a letter  received just after the death of his...

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