Difficult Week

Our first full week back home and it has been a crazy one. Most of you probably heard about the shooting here in Tucson - it was not near us but we do know the area it happened at. The biggest impact for us has been the news trucks and memorial at the hospital. As a pharmacology/toxicology grad student, he is actually on the northern medical campus instead of on the main campus. The northern campus contains two hospitals: Diamond Childrens and University Medical. So driving David to his classes has been more interesting this week due to all the cars/new trucks turning into the hospital (we don't use that entrance, we actually go down to the one just after it). Of course, David also was given Wednesday off due to young Christina Green's funeral (the 9 year old who died in the shootings) and for President Obama's visit  to Tucson. We did not attend either event - I wanted to be home with him instead of out and about. I am sad for the ones who died, for their families, for the community. I pray for the wounded to have more good days than bad, to heal quickly and fully. I hope this community finds ways to heal. I passed Ms. Grifford's office on Tuesday - so many gifts, candles, people were there that some were spilling into the street. Sadly, nothing is going to be exactly the same here and the wounds keep getting ripped open. News about the response time of the paramedics, the congresswoman's current state, and the decline/mental state of the shooter are front page news. To the first I say, the emergency personnal did their job as trained which includes waiting for a cleared scene to avoid becoming victims/casulties themsevles. To the second, Ms. Griffords has already beaten some impressive odds to be alive, opening her eyes and moving her extremities. Let her recover in peace with her husband and friends. To the third, I feel pain for a young man who appears to have problems but refused to get help, help which he will probably not get now.
Tucson feels different after this week. The community's sense of safety and neighborhood has been shattered. I hope that it can return someday.