24 January 2011

The shoes off his feet


Charleston, S.C.

I keep a stash of used clothes in my office closet. I don't have much room but I have a pile of folded shirts, pants in a few different sizes and a bag of new men's underwear. There are a few relatively nice jackets.

Every once and a while I get a call from a nurse on one of the units, who is ready to discharge a patient who has no clothes. Things happen. People land in the hospital after the most unusual circumstances.

Last year I got the call and carried up a selection for them to choose from. I had a beautiful black leather jacket and I was secretly smug that I might be sending someone home in better clothes than they might have ever worn but the nurses shook their head and said, "What he needs is shoes. It's cold outside and we can't send him home with bare feet."

Shoes?! I didn't have any shoes. What the heck? I was going to ask one of my volunteers to make a trip to Walmart when Dr. Rosen walked by. He heard the conversation and said, "He can have mine. He can have my shoes but I have to finish rounds first." And that is what we did.

Now, every so often the shoe fairy leaves a bag by my door. Dr. Rosen is a runner and wears the tread off of perfectly good shoes. No one should go home from the hospital in bare feet.

I work with good people in the friendly little hospital across the river.

10 comments:

Lisa Renée said...

I love this post. Thanks for sharing it! It speaks so highly of people here in the lowcountry...

Lowandslow said...

A good man, that Dr. Rosen. He truly "walks the walk", pardon the pun. :)

S

de said...

Wow, touching post! Even brought tears to my eyes! How thoughtful of you and your hospital friends... nice to know there are still people out there that care about others...

brattcat said...

I'm so touched by this post. Thank you for sharing this with us.

Commander Zaius said...

I've discovered the same thing about the people at Palmetto Richland hospital. Makes me feel good to go to work knowing I work around caring doctors and nurses.

Doug said...

I love your post and how true about how people land in the hospital. As a midnight shift pharmacist at BSSF I KNOW what you are saying. :)

Anonymous said...

There are Sooooo many good people. I love hearing about all the good they do. Thanks. Sally

Kristen said...

What a great story! Makes me want to go through my closet and drop some shoes off for you.

Charlestonjoan said...

Lisa - It does. I see things like this all the time.

Low - He is indeed.

brattcatt, de, Sally - There are good people. It is nice to know.

BeachBum - Yes, I hear good things about Richland as well.

Doug - Gonna have to meet you one of these days!

Kristen - I don't have much room but I could use a few women's things!

Anonymous said...

Inspiring. We walk with angels, unawares. Thank you for the light you add to my daily walk.