While in the hospital for my surgery, I was, for the first time in forever, bombarded with religion. Pretty predictable since I went to St. Mary's Hospital for the surgery. I had forgotten just how secular my life truly had become. I believe that the majority of my fellow urban dwellers are also mostly secular. I and my 4 siblings grew up Southern Baptist, even though my mother, and therefore my father, were United Methodists. This is because, being the pragmatic Wesleyans they were, they sent us to the the Southern Baptist Church not just for the scarier hell fire and brimstone, but we could make the short walk there unattended. As an added bonus, we could be shut away during the summer break at their Vacation Bible School. None of which we could do if we were to go the their church. Naturally, you take to Southern Baptism either a duck to water, swimmingly or alternatively like a lead weight, plunk into the water and quickly sink to the bottom. The water allusion is no accident. I recall sitting after Sunday services with my brother and sisters watching them take off the floor boards of the sanctuary. We'd snicker then ohh and ahh while the pastor, in his special white robes, dip the similarly dressed parishioners fully into the holy blue water, baptizing sometimes the same set of folks week after week after week.
I was one of the lead weights. I'd undoubtedly sink and drown if I were baptized. The whole spectacle was a real turnoff. The last thing I wanted was to take another cold and watery dip after taking my weekly bath just days before. I wouldn't so easily be fooled. Not me.
So given my history, my secularity is not so surprising. You then can understand the strange land I entered called St Mary's Hospital last week for my hip surgery. It was subtle at first. Each elevator had a small crucifix on the back wall. At first I thought is was a logo or design. Then I noticed in my wanderings through these hallowed halls, going for pre-surgery radiology and lab tests, a habit robed nun here and there, not too obvious. The pre-surgery room has very large and noticeable crosses on the walls. I thought, now is the last time to use them if you must. After recovery, on my 7th floor aerie, each of the nurses' stations had a even bigger crucifix. Maybe the post surgery morphine made them appear life size. Some of the staff were addressed as sister instead of nurse. In my room the television options included "chapel" between the welcome station and CNN. There was a couple of priestly visits to my bedside during recovery, each friendly and solicitous, carefully asking after my religious affiliation and making sure that I knew that having none was just fine and dandy. Still, if I needed anything, to talk, pray, etc, don't hesitate. A note on my room bulletin board mentions Sister Mary Timothy is the one to contact should you find anything inadequate during my stay. And lastly, every morning at 8 AM, there was a PA system that rang throughout the rooms and hallways, with the daily inspirational talk with a Brother or Father. Then a chirpy invitation to mass down in the hospital chapel where communion could be had. If you were to ill/indisposed to attend, feel free to turn on the chapel station and you can watch the Holy Eucharist live and uncensored.
Now I am certainly no enemy of religion. If anything, just before my surgery, I felt quite compelled to become desecularized, get baptized, make a sizable donation, maybe for an eponymous pew, very quickly. But I resisted. No doubt much solace and comfort can be gotten from a individuals religious beliefs. And many a patient and their family and friends felt especially blessed to have the best god fearing surgeons in a place where their hands and minds can't help but be guided by the wisdom of the the greater power made manifest within the very walls of the hospital.
I didn't consciously choose this hospital for religious reasons, it just happens to be the hospital in which both my primary care physician and the orthopaedic surgeon were affiliated. I wasn't going to not go there because of it's religious affiliations either. I just felt pretty neutral about the whole thing going into the surgery. Now, on the other hand, even if I didn't sub consciously pray for a good outcome, maybe having had the surgery done there brought in just enough mojo for the prayers given by my partner, family and friends did make a difference.
And to that, I say, Thank God.
No comments:
Post a Comment