Strange Alliances

There were three people in the room. It was a beautiful office with a large mahogany desk and two large chairs in front of the desk. The two chairs facing the desk were large, deep and leather-bound. The chair nearest the desk and facing away from it was a regular chair. There were wooden bookshelves lining all the walls of the room filled with many books. There was a large window to the left of the desk that had an unobstructed view of the bright blue sky. Dr. Clark is sitting in front of his desk in a chair and facing David and Carol who are brother and sister. The camera is panning the room from behind Dr. Clark. Carol and David are noticeably distraught. Their mother just recently had a massive stroke and was on life support in the intensive care unit. Dr. Clark is their mother’s doctor and is coincidentally the head of the ethics committee. The reason for their meeting today was because Carol, who is a MICU nurse, wanted to take her mother off of life support and allow her to die with, as she often repeated, dignity. David wanted to hold onto any last vestige of hope and keep her alive on life support for as long as possible. This was their third meeting to discuss this issue. Their mother was previously healthy and she consequently never considered declaring a health care proxy. Carol and David appeared exhausted and frustrated. They felt as though they were going around in circles and neither of them would budge from their position.

Dr. Clark was a slim, well-built man with thick white hair and a prominent jaw. His eyes were deep-set and light blue. His voice was deep and reassuring. He was very fashionably dressed wearing a stylish blue pinstripe suit with brown shoes. His socks were pink with blue dots and really stood out. He knew for a fact that they were going around in circles but this was his job. He allowed families to go around in circles until they were so exhausted that the truth of their situation was able to shine through their so dearly held belief systems. He perceived his job to simply hold space and allow families to come to their own conclusions. Sometimes this required a little prodding but in his experience, it was a revelatory process that did not require too much intervention.

DAVID (Speaking to Carol but directing his words at Dr. Clark.): I just don’t understand how you can just allow someone…not someone, not anyone, but our mom die. It’s just not right.

Dr. Clark had been in this position many times before. He was no longer even surprised at how remarkably similar was the course of these conversations. Nonetheless, his demeanor was always very compassionate towards those distressed with either the death or the impending death of a loved one. This case was particularly sensitive because he was the patient’s doctor for many years and knew the family very well. He was very present and attentive, but he knew the script so well that his mind naturally wandered. As often happened, it navigated to his long-time companion, Death. He was well-acquainted with Death in all her disguises.

He had read Carlos Castaneda as a young man and at that time didn’t understand how the shaman in his books, Don Juan Mattus, could say that Death should be regarded as a friend who was always by your side. It took many years and many experiences to finally get it, but get it he did. Death was now his best friend.

CAROL (Speaking directly to David): David, that’s really not fair. Mom is already dead. She’s gone. All the tests showed that she is officially brain dead. The only reason her heart is still beating is that the ventilator is breathing for her. She has tubes and wires coming out of every orifice. I don’t think that this is what she wanted.

Dr. Clark acknowledged what Carol just said and with his hand, welcomed David to respond. His mind, however, went back to his first true encounter with Death. They had not been introduced yet and wasn’t even aware of her existence. As a first-year intern at Bellevue Medical Center in New York City, working thirty-six to forty hours and repeating this every third night, he only knew that people had a knack for dying.

(The scene changes to a flashback of Dr. Clark as a young man working at Bellevue Hospital. He is sitting at the nursing station that is a 10x10 foot cubical with a counter and computers on two of the walls. The walls only extended about one foot above the counter and a glass window continued to the ceiling. One could see that there were four identical cubicles that made a larger square. Each served as a nursing station for the adjacent wards. It was the early eighties and the peak of the AIDS epidemic, an illness that had just recently appeared, was poorly understood, and brutally ravaged predominantly the gay community and intravenous drug users. It was an interesting time for this generation of doctors in that they would meet a patient on Monday and they would be dead by Wednesday. This was unlike anything that American doctors had ever experienced. Dr. Clark was a fresh intern and was struggling to keep his head above water managing his large patient load on minimal sleep. He finally had a free moment and was writing his progress notes when one of the nurses summoned him to a patient’s bedside.)

DR. CLARK: What’s going on?

NURSE: Room 303’s blood pressure is tanking.

Dr. Clark rushes to Mrs. Molina’s bedside. She is a thirty-year-old Puerto Rican who was just diagnosed with AIDS that she had contracted from her husband. It was unknown whether he contracted the disease from homosexual relations or intravenous drug use because he had already died. She was lying in a cholera bed. Cholera was almost nonexistent in the United States so he had never heard of a cholera bed before this. It was simply a bed with a hole at the level of the buttocks to allow diarrhea to drain directly into a bucket. The patient, however, did not have cholera. Her AIDS-defining illness was Cryptosporidia that was previously only encountered in patients with cancer or in the third-world who were severely immunocompromised. It was now commonly seen in AIDS patients and manifested with severe and unrelenting diarrhea. There were no known effective treatments.

Mrs. Molina was so weak that she couldn’t get up to go to the bathroom. Despite two large intravenous lines pumping normal saline into her veins continuously, they couldn’t keep up with the volume of diarrhea that was pouring out of her. Dr. Clark first described it as a running faucet that could be heard pouring into the bucket beneath her bed, but after thirty hours without sleep what came to his almost delirious mind was Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. When he first met Mrs. Molina four days prior, she was slightly chubby, cheerful and remarkable well-adjusted in light of her recent AIDS diagnosis. She was admitted to the hospital because of the worsening diarrhea that wasn’t associated with any abdominal pain, nausea or vomiting. She had lost about 40 pounds, was now unresponsive, emaciated and cachectic. He could actually see the striations of the muscles around her eyes and lips. She brought to mind the cadavers he had dissected in medical school, but seemed more dead than the cadavers.

Dr. Clark was only an intern but knew that she was on her way out. They simply could not keep up with her fluid losses. Death by diarrhea. He was shocked and appalled that this could occur in modern times in the United States. This feeling would soon change to one of acceptance. He knew that he was in over his head and had his senior resident paged for help while he placed another intravenous line to push more saline into her. His senior arrived but didn’t have much to add. They bustled about doing what doctors and nurses do in those situations but Dr. Clark saw the inevitable. He watched life leaving her body into the bucket below her and Death enter. It was a very subtle exchange but he saw it clear as day. He wanted to ask if anyone else did but dismissed it as a crazy thought.

Mrs. Molina was the first patient who died in his presence. They perfunctorily performed CPR because this was what doctors did in those situations until the obvious was obvious. Mrs. Molina was then pronounced dead. For some reason, her death marked Dr. Clark, perhaps in the same way that one’s first lover leaves an indelible mark. Perhaps it was the fact that it was such a protracted death starting with what appeared to be a healthy woman diagnosed with AIDS to a bare-bones skeleton whose life force was pouring out from her ass through a conduit of a cholera bed into a large bucket. It was at this stage that Dr. Clark developed his bizarre sense of humor. He wondered to himself if her family would spread those buckets of diarrhea over some meaningful place in the same way that one spreads a loved one's ashes. Although he would not be able to identify it for years to come, he knew that something remarkable had happened on that day and it changed him

DAVID: So you think she’d want us to kill her by pulling the plug?

DR. CLARK: Perhaps that’s a bit harsh David. Let’s turn it around. If you were in that situation, what would you want your family to do? Keep in mind that everything that could be done has already been done and you were in that situation. If you could somehow communicate something in less than one minute, what would you tell your family?

DAVID :(David looks down and is shaking his head. He’s angry. He starts to speak.): But that’s…(He can’t go on and burst into tears. After a while, Carol gets up, stands behind him and gives him a hug. Dr. Clark sees what’s happening and knows that David is not ready to let go yet. He’s only started this journey. Dr. Clark gets up, walks over to David, takes his arms and pulls him up to standing position. He hugs him really hard and after a while, invites Carol in for a group hug. David is shivering and his legs are weak. Carol is also crying but she’s strong.) I can’t let her go. I can’t just let her die like this…I can’t.

DR. CLARK: We’re with you David. Just breathe and let it all out.

Dr. Clark’s thoughts flashed back to his second year of training during his emergency medicine training at Lincoln Medical Center in the South Bronx. Lincoln was the third busiest ER in the country and it was a very violent time in New York’s history. On a cold winter night, EMS brought in a young black man who was shot several times in his chest. They stated that he was alive on route and lost his vital signs just as they wheeled him into the ER. This was code for “it’s time to play” because the scenario of penetrating trauma and “just lost vital signs” dictated an emergency thoracotomy. This was one of the most aggressive life-saving measures that was performed in the ER. The chest is opened with a scalpel, a gizmo is used to separate the ribs to allow access to the heart. The sac that surrounds the heart then opened to allow accumulated blood that was being pumped out of the heart through the small hole caused by the bullet into a rigid sac. This accumulated blood that is under pressure squeezes the heart until it can no longer beat and consequently kills the patient. Opening the pericardial sac frees the heart and allows it to beat again. There were few medical centers that had enough penetrating trauma to become proficient in this procedure and the vast majority of emergency physicians only read about this in the textbooks. Dr. Clark had already performed eight of these procedures and proceeded with confidence.

DR. CLARK: I have an idea. Why don’t we continue the meeting at Margaret’s bedside? Her company might help us. What do you think? (Carol nods affirmatively. Her hand is rubbing David’s back. He doesn’t respond but it is evident that he will follow. They walk out of the office with David in the middle. Dr. Clark has his arm around his shoulders and Carol has her arm under his. He is walking very slowly and is tearful.)

Dr. Clark is speaking softly to David but his thoughts wander back to that night at the Lincoln ER. (Flashback) The patient was still wearing a goose down winter coat. Dr. Clark made the incision following the curve of the patient's left fourth rib while one colleague intubated the patient and another placed a tube in the right chest. As soon as he spread the patient’s ribs, bright red blood poured out all over the floor. Simultaneously, the EMT’s started to cut off his coat and goose down feathers starting flying all over the place. It was in the air, in his chest, all over the floor mixed with the blood, and on everyone in the room. For the medical students standing to the side observing, it must have appeared like one of those snow globes filled with water with a miniature city or some other scenes with white particles floating that gave the appearance of a snowy winter day. Dr. Clark was frantically trying to scoop out the goose down from the patient's chest in order to visualize the area just to the left of the main coronary artery where he would incise the pericardial sac. It was double jeopardy because even he released the heart from the tamponade effect of the trapped blood but cut the coronary artery that coursed down the front of the heart, the patient would then die of a massive heart attack. It seemed that the more goose down feathers he scooped out of the patient’s chest, more entered. He finally was able to release the tamponade and the heart instantly started to beat again. He then noticed that the chest was again filling with blood that was coming from the root of the lungs. There was still a lot of goose down in the patient's chest so finding the site of the bleeding to tie it off would be very difficult. He remembered a technique that one of his mentors taught him and he just grabbed the lung and turned it counterclockwise and the bleeding stopped. They were pouring donor blood into his veins, some of which was coming out of the small hole in his heart. Dr. Clark took a foley catheter, a tube typically used to drain urinary bladders, stuck it the hole and blew up the balloon and pulled on it. This temporarily blocked the hole in the heart and allowed him to provide direct compressions to the heart that was beating weakly in his hands. At this precise moment, Dr. Clark often had the thought that the patient’s life was literally in his hands.

(They arrived in Margaret’s room. She was lying completely still except for the rise and fall of her chest that occurred when the ventilator injected air into her chest through a tube that entered her mouth and continued into her windpipe. David immediately started to bawl. They sat him down on her right side and Carol sat next to him. Dr. Clark pulled up another chair and sat on the other side of the bed across from them.)

CAROL: Do you think that mom would have wanted to have a machine breathing for her and keeping her here knowing that she’s already brain dead? This isn’t easy for me either but I really think she would’ve wanted us to let her go.

(David holds Margaret’s hand and leans his head onto the bed next to her. He is sobbing.)

Dr. Clark looks on sympathetically but doesn’t say anything wanting to allow what Carol said to sink in. His mind flashes back to the ER. He remembers that there was a moment of hope and now that the patient had been resuscitated, arrangements were being made to take him to the operative room to definitely repair his injuries. Just as they started to wheel him out of the ER, the patient’s heart stopped beating again. They transfused more blood, gave epinephrine and did cardiac compressions without success. The patient was pronounced dead.

The patient’s arms dangled off the gurney and his chest was filleted. He had charcoal black skin that contrasted impressively against the bright red blood and goose down feathers. He had the body of a God, extremely muscular and well-proportioned. Aside from the goose down flying all over the room and into the patient’s chest, this was a familiar scenario for everyone in the room. So familiar that a rule was agreed upon that whoever did the thoracotomy procedure had to complete the death certificate. It was only fair.

DAVID: (He was no longer sobbing but kept his head on the bed while firmly holding his mother’s hand.) It doesn’t seem like you’re having such a hard time making decisions. I just can’t. It’s murder if we pull the plug. How can you see it differently?

(Dr. Clark considered responding to this but thought it best not to and to simply follow the evolution of the conversation. His thoughts returned to the ER.)

The moments immediately after such a dramatic death in the ER was always very interesting. Everyone was pumped. The senior residents would take the juniors and medical students through the anatomy of the patient’s open chest. This was always a special moment for the uninitiated because feeling the still warm organs of someone who had just died was nothing like the stiff and cold organs of a cadaver in the anatomy lab. The EMT’s took this moment to fill them in on the story behind the event.

The staff learned that the deceased was a major drug dealer in the neighborhood and was reportedly a brutal murderer with a long list of people he had killed. No one in the ER really cared. Dr. Clark had learned that it wasn’t his place to judge. All he had to do was his damnedest to save lives. The stories and circumstances had grown irrelevant to him. But something really significant happened that day beyond his first experience dealing with goose down feathers in a patient’s chest during a thoracotomy. The patient’s mother was escorted into the room without any warning. Typically the patient is cleaned as best as possible and covered up to the neck for family viewing. The mother walked into this catastrophic scene to find her son’s chest opened exposing his dead heart, and with tubes and wires coming out of every orifice. There were blood and feathers everywhere. Before she could be stopped and escorted out until he was prepared for viewing, she ran over to her son and threw her body over his. She hugged him, wailed and pleaded with him to come back. In between her sobbing, she alternated whispering and screaming that he was her life, her purpose for living. It was a profound moment for everyone in the room because this dead, filleted body of this reported cold-blooded killer and drug dealer suddenly transformed into a human being, a mother’s child. There were tears in everyone’s eyes.

Dr. Clark, only in his third year of training was already jaded, but this was another one of those turning points for him that injected a bit of humanity that he had lost along the way. But there was something else even more significant. As he was looking at this preposterous scene of this dead filleted body with his mother laying on top of him, both of them now covered with blood and feathers, an image flashed into his field of vision. It was a faded, somewhat transparent silhouette of a woman with long dark wavy hair and her arms around the mother. She was consoling her. She disappeared as quickly as she materialized but just before vanishing, she looked up and made eye contact with Dr. Clark and smiled. He insisted to himself that it was only his imagination but the thought of what he had seen stuck with him for years to come.

(There was a long silence after David’s last comment and Dr. Clark thought that this was a good time to interject.)

DR. CLARK: David, I’ve been doing this for a really long time and I know both of you and knew your mother very well. I can assure you that it’s just as difficult for Carol as it is for you. Try to put yourself and Carol aside for the moment and just think about what your mother would have wanted.

As Dr. Clark was reminiscing about how he met Death, he remembered another encounter that had previously slipped his mind. His first wife was a beautiful and truly amazing French woman. They were both very young and fell in love in an epic manner. The incident occurred in France when they were celebrating her 30th birthday and her brother’s 20th birthday simultaneously. Her father was a dairy farmer and also had a few pigs. The plan was to have a grand celebration that included roasting a pig. They dug a deep pit in their backyard that was approximately 3 feet deep and 6 feet wide and burned a large pile of wood for hours until the wood became a furnace of embers. It was at this point that the event took on a bizarre turn.

There were seven pigs in their pen and they had already selected the pig that would be sacrificed for the celebration. What was bizarre was the fact that all the other pigs were just chilling out while the one that had been selected was in a panic. The other pigs sympathetically looked on while he ran around in circles and threw himself against the door as though trying to escape. How did he know?

On the following morning, the butcher arrived and dragged him out of the barn. The pig was frantic. It was evident that he knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that his gig was up. Even more strange was the fact that all 101 cows on the farm that had been grazing in the field also knew that something significant was going to happen. They all lined up against the fence and looked on with the attention and solemnity of spectators of a grand Greek tragedy. Without any pomp, the butcher held the pig tightly between his legs and slit its throat. Although still full of life, the pig no longer struggled and immediately lay on its side. He breathed heavily but seeing the inevitable simply relaxed, perhaps contemplating his existence and what it was all about. As more and more blood poured out of him, his eyes closed as he faded. Then just before passing, his body began to lightly convulse in the same manner that Dr. Clark had witnessed so many human beings pass. It was so remarkably similar that for the first time Dr. Clark recognized the humanity in all living things. He even admired the manner in which the pig finally accepted its fate with such grace and dignity as compared to most human beings who kicked and fought until their last breath.

Dr. Clark was about four feet from the pig but was so impressed by the line of cows looking on that he moved to the side in order to give them a clear line of vision. At the moment when the pig began to convulse, Dr. Clark saw the same apparition. It was the same woman with long flowing dark hair, and olive skin. She was not as transparent as before. She was on her knees and had one hand on the pigs forehead and the other on its chest. The pig was looking directly at her and seemed to welcome her presence. Dr. Clark was facing the sun and briefly considered that the apparition was an optical illusion, but although he couldn’t explain it he knew this was more than that.

DAVID (He picked his head and turned to the both of them in turn, almost pleading. He knew deep in his heart that they were right.): Can’t we just wait a little longer? Let’s not give up on her yet. There’s still hope.

Dr. Clark then flashed back to a time years after the goose feather incident when he had another run-in with Death. He was going through a very difficult moment in his life that led to divorce from his wife. He subsequently did a lot of soul-searching. He had always been a meditator but was now meditating for long periods of time and more consistently. He was then introduced to Ayahuasca, a medicinal plant used for millennia in the Amazon jungle as a tool to explore one’s consciousness and the nature of reality. Many practitioners told him that one ceremony was the equivalent of 10 years of intense psychoanalysis. He confirmed this with his own experience.

He participated in Ayahuasca ceremonies approximately four weekends a year, and then once a year participated in a 10-day Dieta that took place in the Peruvian jungle. The shaman with whom he worked had a strong background in Hinduism with a strong focus on consciousness. He began every ceremony talking about death. He emphasized the importance of allowing oneself to die before one dies in order to fully be alive. He reminded everyone that we would all die but no one knew when. Consequently, we should take full advantage of this gift of life to fully explore consciousness and Ayahuasca was a tool to facilitate this exploration.

CAROL: David. There is no hope. (She stands up, starts to walk to the back of the room but then returns to stand directly to his side hovering over him.) There is no hope. Mom is dead.

(Dr. Clark could feel the intensity between them and knew that it was almost time to interject but not yet.)

Dr. Clark embraced these ideas and truly believed that he had fully accepted the fact that he was going to die and that he was at peace with it. During his fifth year with the shaman and during one of the ceremonies in the jungle, he had a very intense experience. He visualized and fully experienced himself being encircled by a very large snake that was squeezing him tighter and tighter. He immediately recognized that he would experience a figurative death and fully welcomed it. He thought that this was finally the invitation to his liberation. As the snake tightened around him however, he felt as though he were going to suffocate. It was it at that moment that he began to panic. He then started to negotiate and plead to state that he was not ready to die. He explained that he had so much more to accomplish in his life and had responsibilities to take care of his children and mother. He went into a full-blown panic attack and awakened to find himself drooling over himself and both arms and hands locked in spasm. He learned at that moment that although he had intellectually accepted death, he had not done so at a deeper level. After purging a few times, he started to think about what had happened and how real it felt. He was disappointed that he punked out at such a pivotal opportunity and began to cry uncontrollably. At that moment he felt comforting arms embracing him tightly and the nurturing voice of a woman whispering in his ears. He felt her presence so strongly and the weight of her arms to be as real as his own hands on his knees. Then as typically happened in ceremonies, the shaman moved on to another Icarro that swept him into another dimension for another mental adventure where everything beforehand faded into the recesses of his mind.

DR. CLARK (In order to avoid the focus of the conversation changing from their mother to a confrontation between them, Dr. Clark felt that he had to address Carol’s outburst): David, no one can make this decision for you, but you do have to make your decision based on the facts. As difficult as it is to accept, the facts are that your mother is in fact brain dead and it is highly unlikely that she will ever recover.

(David takes his mother’s hand into both of his and stares at her.)

Dr. Clark was transported to a time two years after that event in the jungle. He was on a plane and without any warning, the plane felt as though it had dropped 30 to 40 feet in a few seconds. Everyone was violently jolted and those without seatbelts were hurdled upwards against the storage containers. Those who were standing were flung forcibly to the floor or onto the laps of other passengers. The plane was shaking as though it were having a convulsion and everyone was bustled in every direction. The pilot told everyone not to panic but the panic was evident in his voice and the voices of the flight attendants. A large number of passengers started screaming in panic and others started to cry. Many people were praying out loud. What was interesting to Dr. Clark was that although he acknowledged that the plane would likely crash and he would die, it didn’t bother him at all. Despite the screaming, yelling, crying, pleading and praying, he remained completely calm. He crossed his legs in a half-lotus position and started to meditate. The only thought that entered his mind was gratitude. He thanked the universe for his life and for the journey he was granted. He fully welcomed death at that moment and with open arms.

His thighs were extremely sore from bouncing up and down while being held down by the seatbelt. He was also feeling very nauseous and dizzy from all the movement in the plane. He nonetheless went deeper and deeper into meditation, acceptance and a total expression of gratitude. The severe turbulence lasted for another 10 minutes and then everything calmed down. Everyone realized that the plane was not going to crash and began to compose themselves. There were many people who were still crying and now expressing their thanks to God for their salvation.

(David suddenly appeared to be in agony and became very tearful. It seemed that Dr. Clark’s words had finally sunk in. His face is in his hands and his torso is bobbing up and down and he occasionally stomps his foot on the ground. Carol looked at Dr. Clark looking for direction as to what to do. Dr. Clark raised his hand to indicate that she should just wait and do nothing. This was a normal part of the grieving process that Dr. Clark knew so well.)

Dr. Clark recalled that this event on the plane was one of the most significant experiences in his life. He was confronted with the possibility of death and this time did not flinch. He had crossed the bridge and knew at that moment that his life would be changed forever. At that precise moment he again felt those same arms firmly embrace him from behind but the feeling this time was different. Previously he felt compassion and consolation. This time it was only love for what he had accomplished. He turned his head to the back of the plane while adjusting himself in his seat and fleetingly caught a glimpse of the same woman he had visualized previously. She moved through him and then sat on his lap facing him and straddling him. She was now solid and he could feel her weight on his lap. He felt her chest press firmly against his as she embraced him. He could feel her breath on his ears. He then felt her soft kisses on his face and then his lips. They kissed passionately and her tongue filled his mouth. They were then transported into the clouds. She stopped kissing him, looked deeply in his eyes.

DEATH: Do you know who I am? (He responded affirmatively). Do you want me as I want you? (He again nodded yes.) Are you Sure? (He smiled and answered yes. She then ravished him with savage lovemaking for what seemed like an eternity. When they were done, he awakened to find himself back on the plane. Many people were still crying and others praying. The pilot was asking for doctors on the plane to identify themselves and assist the injured passengers. Dr. Clark was in bliss but confused. He knew that what happened was real but the reality of it had not as yet settled in. It was the turning point of his life. He raised his hand announcing himself to be a doctor and started to help the wounded and comfort those in need.)

DAVID (He is now standing up and in rage.): I will not allow either of you to kill my mother. No. No. I won’t let it happen. (David is now drooling on himself and his eyes bugging out of his head. Death appears by Dr. Clark’s side and embraces him.)

DEATH: I’ve missed you my love. I thought you were coming home for lunch. I was wearing the most delicate lingerie for you. (He quickly smiled but caught himself. Death walks over to Margaret and softly strokes her head.) Why have you allowed this to drag on for so long, allowing this poor woman to suffer like this?

DR. CLARK (He speaks to her but no one else can hear them.): Remember that I also have to take care of the living.

DAVID (Now screaming at both of them.): Do you hear me? I won’t let it happen. There’s hope. She’ll recover. I know she’ll recover. She’s not ready to die yet? (Dr. Clark approaches David to give him a hug but he pushes him away.)

DEATH: May I? (Almost imperceptibly, Dr. Clark nods yes. She walks over to the bedside, places one hand on Margaret’s head and the other on her chest. Dr. Clark could see Margaret’s spirit rise out of her body. At that moment, the heartbeat on the monitor stopped and the alarms started to go off.)

DAVID: What happened? What’s going on? (Carol’s places her hands on her mouth in shock, but there was a sigh of relief that passed over her almost simultaneously. The Rapid Response Team rushed in and started to perform CPR and attempt to resuscitate her. Margaret’s spirit was now standing and embracing Death in thanks. She then walked over to Dr. Clark and embraced him. She then walked over to Carol and stepped into her body. Carol felt a chill run through her body and was overwhelmed by a feeling of love. She walked over to David who was now in the corner on his knees. Carol dropped to her knees in front of him with Margaret still in her body and embraced David with all her might. Dr. Clark witnessed Margaret pass into David’s body but he was in such pain that he could not feel her presence within him.)

DEATH: Go to them, my love. They need you. I’ll see you back home. (She kissed her finger and then placed her finger on his lips.) I hope you’re not too tired. I want you really badly. (She smiles deviously and then vanishes. Dr. Clark walked over to them, gets on his knees and joins them in a group hug. The resident pronounces Margaret dead shortly afterward. The team looks at Dr. Clark who thanks them and they walk out expressing their condolences to David and Carol.)

DR. CLARK: Come. Let’s go to your mother to say goodbye. I’m sure she’s still in the room and would like to tell you how much she loves both of you and hears your goodbyes. (Dr. Clark walks over to the bedside, holds Margaret’s hand and kisses her on the cheek. Her spirit is standing on the side of the bed with her hands in prayer position against her chest. He stands up from the bed, does the same and they bow to each other.) I’ll step outside and give you as much time as you need.

(Dr. Clark walks out of the room and closes the door. David is crying in Carol’s arms as she tries to comfort him. Margaret walks over to the both of them, embraces them and merges into the both of them. Carol again shivers and is filled with love.)

BLACK OUT

I am an emergency physician, writer and a lover of life. The purpose of this blog is to share my ideas, experiences and perspectives as they relate to Consciousness, and as they evolve. Consciousness encompasses everything in my life, your life, the world, the Universe — in other words — EVERYTHING! As the great Shaman Don Diego used to say: “It’s not the most important thing, and it’s not the least important thing…It’s the ONLY thing!”

Check out my novel: “The Twin Flames, the Master, and the Game”! It’s available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Balboa Press.