The hospice nurse and I admitted, “Frank”, age thirty-seven, to our hospice program secondary to Hepatitis C and liver disease. When Frank was in high school, he hung out with a rough crowd. He so respected his buddies that he would always faithfully protect them. Frank witnessed a murder whereby one of his friends shot and killed his girlfriend. His friend got arrested, but Frank would not state to anyone what he witnessed. Frank subsequently received thirteen years in prison.
Frank has a lot of tattoos that he received while in prison. Due to that, he was then diagnosed with Hepatitis C just a few years ago. The doctors told him that he likely has had Hepatitis C for many, many years, without any symptoms.
Frank was released from prison and turned his life around. He got a great paying job with an air conditioning company. He married his sweetheart and now has two young children. Everything changed a few months back when he started to develop symptoms. His disease hit him hard to where he could no longer work.
Frank has had multiple hospitalizations due to his illness. He was recently informed that there is no further available treatment. He then told his wife recently, “I don’t want to die, but I know there is no more to be done.”
When we walked into their home today, Frank was in a deep sleep. The nurse told his wife that he is likely transitioning with only a few days at most. She is coping the best she can by embracing her children and listening to music. She has good family support and will reach out to them; and they to her.
It just
seems that his life was cut so short because of one mistake twenty years
ago. One blessing for him though, he did
have seven years of freedom with his beautiful wife and two children.
ONE MISTAKE
When he was
in high school.
he hung out
with a rough crowd.
It was
brutal; but exciting.
He adamantly
respected his mates.
He went to
prison for thirteen years
when he was
only seventeen.
He was
protecting his friend,
who shot and
killed his girlfriend.
He stayed
quiet and wouldn’t talk.
He would not
speak any blame.
His friend
got life in prison,
while he was
just released
only a few years ago.
He turned
his life around.
He got a
good job with good pay.
He married
his sweetheart
while
raising their two young kids.
Unfortunately,
he has Hepatitis C
from
receiving so many prison tattoos.
There is
nothing more to be done.
He likely
has only days left to live.
He has
learned from his mistakes.
He has been working
hard; becoming successful;
but having
poor judgment at age seventeen
turned his
life totally around.
He saw it as
just helping a friend,
but it
cascaded into turmoil; into chaos.
His life
will be forever shortened,
from one
simple, but very formidable
mistake.
