A salute to a patient With one breast A scar across her chest With one arm taken away She came into the ER today

Metastatic Liposarcoma of RUE Amputation of said RUE Breast Cancer.

She wore a thorough smile: the kind that involves the entire face I had already read her medical file But notes on her latest encounter were not in place

To examine her I helped her take off her bright and pretty hat And, from a wound held clean, dry and intact Learnt of yet one more surgical resection

Staples still in place s/p surgery for Frontal lobe brain mass

She simply forgot to mention this intervention So much going on, she said Such a tough year

She was that patient Who so patiently waits Here now Wanting to know why It hurt to breathe

Her body bore the testimony Of her medical tribulations But, In the midst of it She refused to bend her smile To soften her laughter To dull her colors To wrinkle her spirit To be made small By Life By Fate Or by whatever name one could call The hand that was hers to play Her spirit, instead, insisted on a better way

The cuts would not break her

She shared her story with me And I felt like a little child Receiving a beautiful, Unexpected gift

Perspective