CHEST Guidelines-For-Michael,-Who-Waits

For-Michael,-Who-Waits_chest (1)

Pdf Summary

This document is a poem titled "For Michael, Who Waits," written by Harriet Geller. It expresses the author's emotional connection and support for her cousin, who suffers from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and underwent a heart and kidney transplant. The poem reflects on the cousin's youth, reminiscing about the "spike-haired tot bawling from the potty seat," highlighting a deep familial love that persists despite the challenges faced by adulthood, such as serious health issues. The poem conveys a sense of helplessness in the face of physical distance and the limitations imposed by medical interventions. While yearning to provide comfort and connection, the author reflects on the barriers that prevent her from being physically present, such as the tubes and wires that keep her cousin immobilized and the geographical distance between New York City and Los Angeles. Nonetheless, the poem celebrates the cousin's resiliency and enduring place within the family, especially from the mother's side. The editor's note provides context to the poem, revealing Geller's personal connection to the subject, her background in computer programming, and her later career as a financial manager at a major medical library. Geller found an outlet for her creative expression in poetry, which is evident in the heartfelt verses written for her cousin. The document is copyrighted by the American College of Chest Physicians and was published by Elsevier Inc. in 2017.

Keywords

poem

Harriet Geller

hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

heart transplant

kidney transplant

familial love

medical interventions

resiliency

creative expression

American College of Chest Physicians