Hidden Casualties

Very public workplace emotional wobble today, recounting the death of a child in my care some 15 years ago. Took me (and my wonderful colleagues) completely by surprise, and reminded me how much this job, this life takes out of you, and how every child, however they do, marks your soul in ways you may not even recognise. Thanks to the paediatric medical establishment at the Royal London Children’s Hospital for giving me leave and space to feel and voice a pain that I didn’t even know was there until I started speaking. When a child dies unexpectedly there are always more casualties than you think.