I've spent a good chunk of my summer at the Edward Hines Jr. Veterans hospital, being a volunteer research assistant and sitting in on a couple open heart surgeries. At the main entrance to the hospital a placque is mounted on the wall. It's probably 6 inches by 20 inches, with a modest navy background. In the foreground there is the veterans eagle, with the text "Edward Hines Jr. Hospital: The Price of Freedom is Visible Here." I suppose it only makes sense, considering only veterans may use this hospital's facilities, but at the same time, is this a message we want posted in a center for healing? I'm looking extremely far into it, but in a way this categorizes the patients at this facility as a down-payment for freedom. "These are the casualties necessary to live your democratic life." the sign said to me as I walked past. But at the same time, perhaps it is more of an affirmation. To the veterans it says "You have been injured, but your pain is not in vain. It is for our freedom. Let us heal you as thanks."
mm, I like this. I bet volunteering at a veteran's hospital has been full of adventures (open heart surgeries!) & meaningful stories. I love that you point out that it's important to see the patients of the hospital as PEOPLE first, then as "the cost of freedom".
ReplyDeleteI think you put what I meant to say into words better than I did! Yes definitely, people first, THEN as costs.
ReplyDeleteOpen heart surgery! wow.
ReplyDeleteLDL
This reminds me of when I volunteered at a Veteran's hospital in Chicago. It's sad how we see our veterans, and to that extent, our elderly. as burdens rather than assets-taking "cost" far too literally instead of metaphorically. I like your idea of down payments for freedom and whether that's the best way of phrasing things. (English major, what? ;]) Just out of curiosity, what sort of phrasing would you feel more comfortable with? Is there something better? Or do you think, that despite the "cost", that's the best phrasing?
ReplyDeleteAlso, open heart surgery. That is so in-tense, congratulations on being more hardcore than I am.
That's the thing, I'm not sure how else we could phrase it. At least off the top of my head, everything sounds dehumanizing or not poignant enough. "The effects of the battle for freedom...", "the victims of the fight...". In the end that probably is the best way to phrase it, and most people won't give it a second guess as they walk through the door.
ReplyDeleteOpen heart was really... magical. I don't know how else to describe it really.