Pink Shirt Day

I can still remember him.That in itsself is astonishing these many weeks later. In my line of work remembering simply isn't done. All brain space is used up by the patients one currently has. As they go, so do their names, their faces, and their stories.So by the end of the day you don`t know with whom you began it with. But he I remember. A transfer in at the quietest time of the night 3-5am. The generic triage label was ``overdose, high risk substance``, the age suggestive of high risk teen and street drugs. But what I found was much different than the usual. The first tip off was the paramedics, as I entered the room the older paramedic was having a heartfelt conversation with him, not the normal shutdown attitude. Then I saw his face. It was not the harden streetwise defiant look, but that of a quote `ordinary teen``, looking much to young to be in this situation. The information gained in the report for the paramedics was even harder to bear.  This young person was born different, to me not apparent at the moment, but to his peers Very Different and for that he was teased, bullied and eventually ostracized from them. He then studied from home but there became more and more isolated. Losing all self esteem and hope. This had not been his first attempt at hurting himself but he had hoped it was the last. I assessed him, subtle signs of difference were there, the curled hand, the twisted foot, but no major deformity, no mental impairment. We talked frankly about what he had done, the effects on him but most importantly the supports that were there for him, the fact that he did not have to go this alone.  After we talked I was once again struck by how cruel kids were, but also wondered about myself. How do I treat people, how do I place value or judge other people. We are very responsible for our actions and how they effect others and it truly brought home the principle that all need to be treated as Jesus would have treated them- All the same and loved them all, showing preference or hatred to none. 
January 23 is Pink Shirt Day- Wear Pink to voice your support for Anti Bullying. http://www.pinkshirtday.ca/