Refocus
I did something I haven't done in at least 8 years. I stayed up and watched ER. Everyone went to bed and I wanted a little mind numbing diversion from the daily storm and strife. What I got was anything but mind numbing and nothing like a diversion.
I didn't recognize any of the cast from when I watched before. Sara Gilbert (Darlene) from the Roseanne Show was one of the nurses in the emergency room and Ray Liotta was the patient in trouble. There was a cast of doctors and other nurses but the show was about the death of Ray Liotta's character, Charlie Metcalf. He was a miserable wretch of the dregs of humanity. He had been married with a young son and after his wife died unexpectedly he took to drinking and took the road to self destruction. After stabbing a guy in a bar, he went to jail. His son ceased communicating with him at a certain point in his jail term. The self abuse continued after jail ended and he ended up in the emergency room from somewhere on the streets.
So you Charlie in a hospital bed with GI bleeding, a failed liver, kidneys shut down, coughing and vomiting up blood and a myriad of other issues. The hospital staff is doing everything to keep him alive. He has no money, no future, little time left on earth even if they can save him, but they are doing everything to keep him alive. His story develops over the hour and after they stabilize him, they call his son who he hasn't talked to for years. He is now in college. After a brief conversation about his condition, the son hangs up. Charlie's face sinks and he asks to have all life support removed. Let me die.
You see this person being characterized as a human failure that has lost his last strand of connection to life finally give up. I could not imagine someone sinking to that level of self destruction and abuse but I know it happens. My sister works at Toledo Hospital and advises people on end of life situations. Some of her stories flashed through my mind.
In the end, Charlie dies, alone in a hospital bed. He has been abandon by everyone. What a sad picture. But it made me look at Charlie as someone I would have avoided at any cost. Not the kind of person I thought I was. Scuffy and unwashed, I would have walked around him to avoid having to touch or deal with him. Too busy to take the time and too frightened that he might bring me to his level.
I have so much to work on in this life. So wrapped up in what I'm doing and where I'm going that those that need just a touch of attention become objects of scorn. It was a great performance by Ray Liotta who I have always seen as a tough guy. A most thought provoking role.
Lord help me to be your hands and remove the blinders so that I am see what I would otherwise choose to ignore.
Heavy
Icool
Cobb
I didn't recognize any of the cast from when I watched before. Sara Gilbert (Darlene) from the Roseanne Show was one of the nurses in the emergency room and Ray Liotta was the patient in trouble. There was a cast of doctors and other nurses but the show was about the death of Ray Liotta's character, Charlie Metcalf. He was a miserable wretch of the dregs of humanity. He had been married with a young son and after his wife died unexpectedly he took to drinking and took the road to self destruction. After stabbing a guy in a bar, he went to jail. His son ceased communicating with him at a certain point in his jail term. The self abuse continued after jail ended and he ended up in the emergency room from somewhere on the streets.
So you Charlie in a hospital bed with GI bleeding, a failed liver, kidneys shut down, coughing and vomiting up blood and a myriad of other issues. The hospital staff is doing everything to keep him alive. He has no money, no future, little time left on earth even if they can save him, but they are doing everything to keep him alive. His story develops over the hour and after they stabilize him, they call his son who he hasn't talked to for years. He is now in college. After a brief conversation about his condition, the son hangs up. Charlie's face sinks and he asks to have all life support removed. Let me die.
You see this person being characterized as a human failure that has lost his last strand of connection to life finally give up. I could not imagine someone sinking to that level of self destruction and abuse but I know it happens. My sister works at Toledo Hospital and advises people on end of life situations. Some of her stories flashed through my mind.
In the end, Charlie dies, alone in a hospital bed. He has been abandon by everyone. What a sad picture. But it made me look at Charlie as someone I would have avoided at any cost. Not the kind of person I thought I was. Scuffy and unwashed, I would have walked around him to avoid having to touch or deal with him. Too busy to take the time and too frightened that he might bring me to his level.
I have so much to work on in this life. So wrapped up in what I'm doing and where I'm going that those that need just a touch of attention become objects of scorn. It was a great performance by Ray Liotta who I have always seen as a tough guy. A most thought provoking role.
Lord help me to be your hands and remove the blinders so that I am see what I would otherwise choose to ignore.
Heavy
Icool
Cobb
posted by Cobb at
6:29 AM
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