In this story, I explore the memories of a doctor-in-training as a resident in the hospital. My memories of the intensive care unit (ICU) are filled with the intense emotion that colors the space between life and death. With these critically ill patients, we sit with them on the brink of death and the edge of life, and we hope that they can make it back over the precipice into healing.



I studied the volumes of information to understand ventilators, infusion pumps, and the many life support machines. I practiced procedures to intubate patients, place feeding tubes, and insert large central lines. I learned to speak with families and deliver news--both good and bad. And I got closer to the unseen force that supports us all and the thing that we call prayer.



Listen to the story: The Intensive Care Unit by Dr. Joel Ying, MD (18 minutes)