For the baby who’s been battered and bruised
and for the adolescent already multiple times abused.
For the children whose lives are so full of pain
that they think their days are lived in vain.
For parents overwhelmed with grief
over a precious life that was far too brief.
For the siblings who grow up too soon,
as they watch how their loved ones are consumed.
For the gaping hole that can never be filled,
so they try to persist, try to rebuild.
For the ones who live but will never thrive;
they crash and recover; they arrest and revive.
For the ones who tried to do everything just right,
yet their lives were upturned in the course of a night.
For the family members trying to understand a new disease,
who will go to any lengths to bring their loved one peace.
For the child who was born in a war zone,
and nobody knows their name, for they are alone.
For the infant with no access to food,
so their growth halts, and their bones protrude.
Many of these children, I have cared for personally,
and some I have only seen on a screen.
Regardless, I carry them with me wherever I go,
and I mourn for them and feel sorrow.
And I think this is part of what it means to be a pediatrician –
to care for all children and their conditions,
and to try my best for each one under my care and
to stand up for all children everywhere.
Image Credit: “Brown and white bear plush toy – Credit” (CC BY 2.0) by homegets.com
Contributing Writer
University of Florida
Melissa went to medical school at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso. She is currently a PGY-1 at the University of Florida Pediatrics Residency Program. She is not quite sure where she will end up after residency but has thought a lot about pursuing fellowship training in infectious disease. In her spare time, Melissa enjoys going to local parks and farmer’s markets with her husband and baby. She also enjoys reading sci-fi, writing letters to her awesome pen pal (her 8-year-old nephew), and Facetiming friends and family.