Senseless Violence

I was prepared to write today's blog about Mentorship as a follow up to yesterday's blog, "Lean In." However, after yesterday's bombing at the Boston Marathon, I had to weigh in.  First and foremost, what a horrific outcome to what is supposed to be a wonderful day of fun, pride and accomplishment.  My heart goes out to those who were injured and to the families of those who were killed.  I was in the car for almost ten hours yesterday so I began hearing about the bombing almost as soon as it happened.  I then had the opportunity to hear and read about the goings on for several hours.  I would like to comment on two facets from yesterday. 

First and of lesser importance, what I did find amazing is the media and their rush to get out a story before everyone else as well as their rush to judgment.  MSNBC had it as an act of domestic terrorism by a right wing anti-government group.  Fox had it as an act of international terrorism.  CNN's spin was in retaliation for high taxes with the act being committed on tax day, April 15th.  Why can't they simply report the facts and save the speculation for their internal prep meetings so they are better prepared to report on who did what after more is known?  Their speculative reporting breeds contempt for either the right or the left when they have no facts to support their stories. 

The second aspect and a much more important one was the emergency medical response in Boston.  It was amazing watching individuals running to assist those who were injured, not knowing if additional bombs would explode as thousands were running away from the scene.  Then to have over 140 patients, many who were critically injured with some requiring leg amputations, arriving in a limited number of hospitals.  That would be taxing to any health care system, but they made it happen.  They got it done; they work miracles as hospitals across the US do almost every day when there are car accidents with mass casualties, bus crashes, train derailments, industrial accidents, mass shootings, weather disasters and the list goes on.  Over my thirty seven years in health care, I have had the opportunity (?) to participate in about a dozen disasters, fortunately, none to the magnitude of yesterday, but at least one explosion that resulted in a loss of lives and numerous injuries.  It is amazing to see how the medical field responds at every level........from those in the field to the nurses to the physicians to the housekeepers to the technicians. We are blessed as a nation to have dedicated and committed health care professionals who truly care about their patients, their communities and their fellow man.  What an amazing job on the part of Boston's health care community yesterday and  it will be continuing for weeks, if not months, to come.