Suicide

Suicide is truly awful for all involved. Over the weekend, we took care of a patient who tried to end his life by jumping out a window several stories up. His attempt was not successful.

Instead of ending his life, he arrived in the ED with bilateral open tib-fib fractures, a closed pelvic fracture, several rib fractures, and multiple fractures up his spine.

He was in agony.

In the ED, where claims of suicidality are so often used an excuse to spend the night in a hospital bed or to seek attention, the temptation towards cynicism can be great. But for those who truly feel they have no other option than to end their own life, my heart breaks. Often, we're lucky, and ingestions can be managed and self-inflicted wounds repaired. But this gentleman, already clearly suffering, will now go on to endure an agonizing rehabilitation from which he will likely never recover.