All The Love In The World
Today is National Doctors’ Day. The first observance of Doctors’ Day was in Winder, Georgia on March 30, 1933. Dr. Charles B. Almond’s wife, Eudora Brown Almond, believed a day should be set aside to honor physicians through acts of kindness, gifts, and tributes. Greeting cards were mailed and flowers were placed on the graves of deceased doctors at the end of March. The day chosen was March 30th, in honor of the anniversary of Dr. Crawford William Long’s first administration of anesthesia in surgery. On March 30, 1842, Dr. Long used sulfuric ether as an anesthetic when he surgically removed a cyst from a patient’s neck. It was a historic moment in modern medicine.
Hundreds of thousands of doctors led the fight against disease and illness in the United States. In 1958, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution recognizing Doctors’ Day. President George H. W. Bush signed the Public Law 101-473 on October 30, 1990, designating March 30th as National Doctors’ Day.
I wrote this letter to all the doctors and other medical professionals who are fighting this deadly pandemic on the frontline.
To Whom It May Concern:
You deserve more than gratitude. You deserve respect and honor. You deserve all the love in the world. It is sad that your compassion, optimism, and dedication often go unnoticed until there is a medical crisis.
Instead of getting to binge watch TV dramas, you have been living in one. You have spent countless hours trying to save lives while risking your own. The death rates keep increasing as much as your stress level. Supplies are getting lower each day. Many are complaining about being stuck at home with their family 24/7 when you have gone days without seeing yours. Yet, you put on a brave face, knowing there is no escaping from the fear and sadness. You hold on to the hope that your contribution will make the world a little healthier and safer.
When people look back, I hope they remember the amount of bravery you had rather than the amount of toilet paper they had. I hope you take the time to go on your dream vacation once it is all over. Most importantly, I hope you receive the respect and love you deserve. You are a true hero.
Sincerely,
Brooke Smith
