A box of memories
Who knew that a simple box found in the attic could produce such a flood of memories? But there it was on the dining room, hauled down from the attic by my husband. The tape was brown with age and scribbled on the lid was the word "coins," indicative of what had been stored within. It had been decades since I laid eyes on that box. Back in the day, we opened many of those Medtronic Intersept filtered cardiotomy reservoir boxes as we prepared for cardiopulmonary bypass. It was integral to providing safe and effective cardiovascular support for our patients back in the 1980s. I miss those days when the rush of an emergency case sent boxes and packaging flying in every direction. I miss the camaraderie between members of our heart team that made our work smooth, efficient, and pleasant. I miss the constant effort to improve our practice through evidence-based research. And yet, here I am, not having slapped the wall plate to open wide those operating room doors for the las...