"Angels In The ER," by Robert D. Lesslie
Author: Kate Loving Shenk

The book, "Angels In The ER," by Robert D. Lesslie, was
suggested by Joan Adams, Squidoo Lens maker and author of
"Banish The Blahs" and "10 X 10."

Joan recently chose Dr. Lesslie to be her doctor because of
his willingness to listen, his kindness and compassion.

These attributes also shine through in his new book.

Heroes in the medical field are many, but often the sheer
pace of health care delivery and the inability for health
care workers to pause and process whatever tragedy they
just witnessed, can cause flat out burn-out.

Robert Lesslie does a beautiful job capturing the fast pace
of the ER and in his stories, you know that he has fine
tuned his perception and intuition over many years of
service and experience.

We all know that it takes a very special person to blend
Science and the Art of Medicine, which is exactly what Dr.
Lesslie does, and does very well.

The nurses and doctors and everyone else who work with Dr.
Lesslie must be so happy to have his influence in their
lives.

I worked with a now retired physician whom we called and
still call "The Pediatric Guru."

In fact, we plan to have dinner with him tonight!

Pediatric Guru was my mentor, now friend, who believed in
serving his patients and the community.

He brought physical and sexual child abuse out of the
closet in the York Pennsylvania community and
single-handedly made lawyers and judges aware of this
unfortunate reality in our cities, townships and boros.

I will always remember the effect he had on our patients.
He drew them out. He patiently sat with each family and
listened to their story.

They invariably told him the truth of their lives.

And he remembers to this day the saga of every one of these
patients.

He played Santa Clause every year in our clinic and because
the children were his patients, he called everyone of them
by name.

This had to have a profound effect on the psyche of these
children, many now grown.

Imagine, Santa knowing your name and you carry this aura of
specialness with you through out your life.

In these times, it's a rare doctor who takes the time to
know his patients. I mean to Really know them. The Guru
knew them all including the homeless and those alienated
from their social networks.

Dr Lesslie and The pediatric Guru come from the school
where medicine is a calling and a service and is the key
to--angelic intervention? to other worldly synchronicity?
to the beauty of nature? to the blue birds who visit and
remind Dr. Lesslie that his father still communicates his
love for his son, even though he no longer inhabits the
physical body.

Dr. Lesslie works the night shift throughout his book. This
is my shift, as well, the shift where angels dare to tread.

More and more I work in the Triage area of my hospital as a
staff RN, which is an Emergency room, of sorts, mostly for
pregnant patients.

This is where the action is in our hospital.

Some nurses hate working there. Others thrive on it.

My many years working as a Nurse Practitioner in a fast
paced clinic setting, has made me feel comfortable working
in this busy environment, where you never know what will
walk through the door.

Dr Lesslie sites the difficult, dangerous and sometimes
drug seeking patients and discusses the necessity of not
lecturing these patients about how to live, or speaking to
them with any sense of moral authority regarding the
plights these people find themselves in: walk a mile in
your patient's moccasins, in other words.

He speaks of how his experiences as an ER doc have helped
him grow as a human being. I dare say, his experiences have
also helped him grow spiritually, as well.

Patience, love and compassion all flow from the pages of
this book.

The Pediatric Guru would love this book.

Dr. Lesslie and the Guru are cut from the same cloth.

We never know how the many patient encounters will effect
not only us but our patients.

Recently, one of my former patients sought me out and
"found me," she said, after googling my name.

She then emailed me and told me how much I meant to her.
She cited examples of the time we spent together, working
through multiple pregnancies, and problems at home.

She told me her mother had a severe motor vehicle accident
in 2000, and her memory is almost gone.

But she still remembers me.

This is indeed a gift and taught me, especially while
reading Dr Lesslie's book: never under estimate the power
of these encounters where we selflessly serve and give of
ourselves.

These moments are larger than life.

They serve to heal the world.


About the Author:

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Kate Loving Shenk is a writer, healer, musician and the
creator of the e-book called "Transform Your Nursing Career
and Discover Your Calling and Destiny." Click here to order
the e-book:
http://www.nursingcareertransformation.com
Check Out Kate's Blog:
http://www.nursehealers.typepad.com
http://www.katelovingshenk.com/blog
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