Stories on the Faces in the E.R.

About this song

My mom was taken to the emergency department at the hospital because her oxygen levels had fallen dangerously low. With the very strained health car system, there were no beds available for her as the medical staff tried to figure out what was wrong with her, and she spent four horrible days in the ER, with my sister and I taking turns being with her because she could not care for herself and there were no staff available to help her with daily care. I spent much of my time there staring at the clock while she slept, barely breathing at times, listening to the busy ER all around me. This song captures the uncertainty and chaos of that moment in time, and is a salute to the health care professionals who tried their best for us despite all the limitations of the system.

Lyrics

I sit in this icy room, white walls closing in

And listen very carefully to the flow of your oxygen

I hold mine and wait for you to take your next breath

And I realize I’m surrounded by life and death

Outside your door, chaos reigns, patients come and go

Waiting for help from doctors and nurses who are bustling to and fro

Faces show pain, tears are falling, many are asking why

Caregivers are tired, despite all odds they give it their best try

CHORUS

So many paths are crossing in this moment in this place

And there are powerful stories written on every face

Fear and hope blend together, like a minor chord on a guitar

These are the stories on the faces in the ER

I watch the clock tick from one to two, it takes an eternity

I look at you and wonder… are you just sleeping peacefully?

A man falls, cries for help, nurses go rushing by

A patient wanders into your room, he’s there but he doesn’t know why

Compassion for the guy next door who’s desperate for a drink

On the other side I hear a woman cry “is it cancer do you think?”

Exhaustion, frustration on faces everywhere

Working in a broken system but in spite of that they care

CHORIUS

OUTRO

I’m still in this icy room, answers still elude

Still holding my breath, hoping I leave with you