It’s so hard to put into words the range of feelings that you have after such an event, which are the same feelings that the healthcare and emergency service workers from 9/11, Katrina, and Sandy must have all dealt with.  I honestly felt that nothing like this would ever happen in Boston, I know I was living in a dreamland, and even when I was running to the Emergency Department, hearing about victims, I didn’t really believe it. I kept telling myself that it was just drama….because until I left the hospital, and my family members were telling me what they heard on the news: I had no idea what was going on.  Just as all of you at home, watching the news, had no idea what was really happening in the hospitals.

I guess I needed to believe that there weren’t bombs, that it was just a transformer that blew, because it was easier to focus on what needed to be done. I have never been prouder of the emergency response crew in this city, and especially the staff at my hospital. In the face of a complete disaster and chaos, we had organization, and saved as many lives as we could. I cannot describe what I saw, because I just don’t want to relive the horror, but the images of not only victims but their family members and what they must be going through right now: the pain, the suffering, and the loss kept me awake all night last night. I also feel like I didn’t do enough, I don’t know if anyone feels like they did enough, especially in the face of being called a hero: we did our jobs, and we did our jobs well, but we couldn’t save everyone.

We all need to remember that this is also just the beginning, there will be Post Traumatic Stress (PTSD) from this event, and if you have lost a loved one, there are resources available at the local hospitals, police stations, and there will be outreach by the city. If you need to talk to someone immediately, the help hotline is available 800-427-3606.

If you would like to help, please donate blood and/or blood products, contact the American Red Cross.  And the Salvation Army is helping victims and their families, so any extra clothes, food, etc, please contact them and see how best you can help.

You can attack us, you can say the Red Sox suck, but all you do is make the city that I love, the city that is my home, grow stronger, bond together, and help each other to overcome this tragedy. It is so unfortunate that this had to happen on one of the best days that Bostonians love to celebrate, young and old alike, and I know there is so much sadness as fall out, but I truly am proud of EVERYONE that helped victims yesterday, we faced something that we never thought we would, and we were kept safe by the men and women in law enforcement.

I saw a war zone in Boston yesterday, but I have never felt safer because of the amazing people in this city. It was an attempted massacre; we said no.

Boston, you are my home.

Yours in Good Health

B