One-night Stands …

The House of God defines anesthesia

As a “non-patient contact” specialty, and

I am often asked, “Do you miss the relationships?”

The frail woman with pictures of her new grandbaby

And the box of cookies in hypertension clinic

every Christmas.

I think of my relationship with the nice man

With the aorto-duodenal fistula, who I came

to know well (both inside and out) one bloody night

and how he came back later just to shake my hand …

And the tracheal papillomatosis patient, who

after 28 visits, had created his own anesthetic plan, and

Walked out after 10 minutes in PACU saying

“See you next time!”

And, every day how I meet new friends and

travel with them through dark valleys, and

they are not afraid …

So, I think back and smile and reply

“No, I don’t miss them at all …”