A New Perspective

While in the ER this past Monday (I am fine--just had some stroke-like symptoms but all is well), something transpired that really got to me. As only a curtain separated me from the patient next to me, the older lady that had been there for hours was being moved to a room. Shortly after she left, a new patient was being brought in. This time, in handcuffs-picked up by the police for prostitution & possession of drug paraphernalia. You might ask why such an individual would be brought to the hospital rather than taken to the police station. Evidently, this patient claimed to be having seizures. As the nurses began to place seizure pads all around the woman, they also tried to insert her IV. My mom & I heard the nurse ask the patient what she had been using. We heard her say, "Heroine." The nurses tried for a good hour to get her IV in but her veins were so shot from the drug use that they were unable to do so. I do not want to say that I was finding the events comical because I was not at all. I was listening closely (just nosey) just trying to hear all that was going on...get the full scoop. The lady began to beg for the nurses to put the IV in her neck. They informed her they could not do that, the doctor would have to do so. It was not until a bit later that we heard that she was picked up for prostitution. As the nurses learned of this information from the police present, the patient began to speak in a voice full of shame. We could hear her say, "I'm not a bad person, I'm a good person", "Please don't judge me", "You don't know what it's like" and so forth. As I listened to this, I began to tear up. In all honesty, while I do not agree with prostitution at all, I've usually been quite judgemental of the prostitutes themselves. When I heard the lady making such comments, I felt ashamed for having had such an outlook on not only prostitutes but drug users. Sure, I've felt sorry for them before but it was not until the other day that I really thought about why these people do these things. I think of a song I used to sing years ago called "She Doesn't Know Jesus." The songs speaks of a young lady who has become pregnant & decides to get an abortion. The chorus says, "She doesn't know Jesus, she doesn't know grace. The only thing she knows she can do, is whatever it might take. We must let her know, she's the reason that He died. The reason that she does, is really all because, she doesn't know Jesus." I felt very convicted as I sat there on Monday evening. These people need to know that they are of worth; they are of value. They matter. Most importantly, they need to know that there is a God who loves them beyond measure & deeply desires a relationship with them. You might be curious as to what happened to this lady while I was there. After some time, she informed one of the nurses that she needed to use the restroom. She asked if she should take her purse with her & the nurse told her it was up to her. She took her purse with her, walked out & the nurse said, "Well, she won't be back." We later learned from the paramedic on call that brought her in that she did not have a seizure. Unfortunately, (according to the nurses) many individuals that are arrested will fake either a heart attack or seizure to get out of going to jail. As was the case with this woman. While she was still in the ER, a detective had come letting her know that he was releasing her from police custody & that her summons was in her purse. She left for the bathroom & was never to be seen again. I did not catch what her name was nor did I ever see her personally. However, I ask you to pray for she & the countless other prostitutes & drug addicts on the streets tonight looking for love in all the wrong places. May we be the ones, as Christians, to BE Jesus to them.