Sad Day

The first patient I lost was a newborn baby. As the lead nurse, I was the one who had to shut off the respirator and prepare the tiny body for the parents. My heart broke as I sponged off the tiny body and wrapped it tightly in a clean warm receiving blanket. I smoothed her tiny eyebrows and kissed her forehead, then handed her to her already grieving father, wondering why in the hell I chose this occupation in the first place.