Nursing heartbreak: Megan Weiss saw horror of 9/11 firsthand; today, she can't escape despair

The Tennessean ^ | 9/8/02 | Sylvia Slaughter

[GailA]

Megan Weiss plans to build a house soon.

She plans to build it low to the ground, maybe even partially underground . . . so no terrorists can fly a plane into it.

She plans to build it in her hometown of Dickson, seven degrees of separation from larger-than-life New York City, where last year she was working as a nurse in a big-city hospital and loving every second of her fast-paced life.

[GailA]

TEARS

[pops88]

This is heart wrenching.

[livius]

A terrible thing. I pray for her. Many recovery workers who have been through horrible things can never quite recover their own lives, and they have a very high suicide rate. Many prayers for her.

Prayer ping to other prayerful Freepers.

[EggsAckley]

This poor woman has a lifetime ahead filled with hyper-vigilance, nightmares, and other horrible things.

I'm waiting for the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder naysayers to find this thread and pooh-pooh her situation. One of the reasons I stopped watching O'Reilly was when he was ranting about "these people need to get a grip. It's a character flaw. blah blah blah."

I know what I'm talking about due to the fact that I too suffer from PTSD........and mine was triggered by events much less horrible than hers. I can imagine the horror she lives with.

[Free Vulcan]

Finally, something real after all the ridiculous crap being spewed from the boob tube. THIS folks is the real 9-11 that we should never forget.

[Siobhan]

Thank you for the ping. I've added Megan's name to my prayer list. I continue to pray for these folks whom Father Benedict Groeschel calls "witnesses of the Apocalypse". May God have mercy on them.

[xtargeter]

"This poor woman has a lifetime ahead filled with hyper-vigilance, nightmares, and other horrible things."

You are right about this. I was in Panama for Just Cause and the "Sickening sweet stench of death" is something you never get out of your nostrils. I still have nightmares from what I saw, and it is much worst for her because she did so much more.

Thank heavens for people like her.

May she find rest and peace.

Never Forget!

[Capriole]

There are no words for this. It sounds like this poor lady had more suffering than she had strength to bear and has become quite ill. May God comfort her.

I have three questions. First, why did the hospital that employed her continue to send her back into that hell on a daily basis when it must have been plain that she couldn't endure it?

Second, why is there no mention in this article of psychiatric care for her? Either the hospital or her mother should have arranged for her to get some serious care, including medication.

Third, why is there no mention in the article of her faith? I wonder if belief is not there, or if it was politely deleted by the writer. Most people, in a ghastly situation like this, turn for sustenance to their God. But if she did not have faith, that may explain her collapse.

I will join my prayers to those of y'all that she may be healed in her spirit.

[Capriole]

There are no words for this. It sounds like this poor lady had more suffering than she had strength to bear and has become quite ill. May God comfort her.

I have three questions. First, why did the hospital that employed her continue to send her back into that hell on a daily basis when it must have been plain that she couldn't endure it?

Second, why is there no mention in this article of psychiatric care for her? Either the hospital or her mother should have arranged for her to get some serious care, including medication.

Third, why is there no mention in the article of her faith? I wonder if belief is not there, or if it was politely deleted by the writer. Most people, in a ghastly situation like this, turn for sustenance to their God. But if she did not have faith, that may explain her collapse.

I will join my prayers to those of y'all that she may be healed in her spirit.

[NorCoGOP]

''We bagged and tagged body parts,'' Weiss says. ''A hand here, a foot there. I stood in two feet of feces and urine searching for whole men and women. What I found was just pieces. Fingers, toes, torsos.

''You pick up a severed hand with a wedding band on it, and you shut down. You don't dare try to picture the man whose hand you held. You don't dare think of his wife or his kids. If you did, you would break.''

See? Islam IS the religion of pieces...

[Timesink]

A tragic story, but this woman has really picked the wrong profession to be in.

[denydenydeny]

I know of at least one rescue worker suicide.

[EggsAckley]

this woman has really picked the wrong profession to be in.

When she picked this profession, her job description did not list picking up body parts while "standing in urine and feces." I have the feeling that she is a very good surgical nurse. She didn't sign up to be on a battle field.

[LBGA]

A tragic story, but this woman has really picked the wrong profession to be in.

There is NOTHING is nursing school that prepares someone to wade through body parts that are small enough to fit in a small vial. A FR poster told us months ago about a friend who was caught in the cloud of debris, and was pulling human flesh out of her hair for hours, even after shampooing and shampooing.

To me, the people like Megan Weiss and all the rescue and recovery workers are owed a huge thanks, for going there day after day to try to rescue someone or at least bring closure to some grieving family.

I have a client who worked in the building next to the WTC that was burned out. Everyone in her firm got out alive, but she witnessed falling bodies and the cloud of debris. For months she couldn't work more than 4-6 hours a day because the depression caused such fatigue.

We, who were not there, cannot know how such a horrific event affects the psyche, and I am so glad that I don't have to know. My hat's off to all these very brave people who put others first.

[ClearBlueSky]

And 'The Pile' is what Islam wants for each and every one of us. This evil religion must be destroyed.

[soozla]

For all those that died.................and for all those Americans trying to help, here in the U.S. and elsewhere, throughout the world.......we must never, ever, ever, ever forget!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[tet68]

The photos of the jumpers remains show very graphicly
how the flesh is squeezed out at the moment of impact
leaving the skin behind like a deflated balloon.
Don't think you'll be seeing that on the major media this week

May she find peace.

[LBGA]

This was so soon after we stood on street corners protesting the election. Who could have imagined the horrific events that would take place so soon?

I know you would have been a patriot who would have given your all to try to help our nation recover. It's people like you, and Megan Weiss, who remind us of the selflessness that makes this country great.

[JMJ333]

For Megan

Prayer of Solace

May Christ support us all the day long,
till the shadows lengthen,
and the evening comes,
and the busy world is hushed,
and the fever of life is over,
and our work is done.
Then in his mercy,
may he give us a safe lodging,
and holy rest and peace at the last.

Amen.

John Cardinal Newman

[tet68]

Oh go on! I am not what you would call a patriot.
I just did my job.
In any event, we all will have opportunities enough to
do what needs to be done, in the coming months and years.
Pay attention to what is going on around you,
maybe practice some first aid, go to a range and practice there.
Get ready to demonstrate come election time.
WE MUST TAKE BACK THE SENATE !!!.
We see how "bi-partisan" the rats have been
even in this time of national danger.
We need those Bush judges!