Table of Contents
About This Book ix
Acknowledgments xi
1 Listening 1
Great Is Thy Faithfulness 3
Calling Dr. Paddock 5
"Do You Feel Different Inside?" 8
God and Me (1) 11
Night Anointing 15
My Call 21
"Row Your Boat" 21
Chaplain School 27
Beauty in the ICU 28
Handcuffs 29
About Dying 33
Hospital Ministry 39
2 Learning 43
Patient Teachers 45
Behind the Scenes 50
"My Parents' Fault" 53
Permanent Ink 56
At the Foot of the Bed 58
Helplessness 61
God in the Window 65
The Palliative Care Office 66
At the Foot of the Cross 68
The Grocery Cart 71
Five Minutes 73
Ms. Trouten's Pillow 75
The Little Space 81
Ophelia Rivers, Trusting God 84
God and Me (2) 88
Vulnerability in the Hospital 91
My Lady with ALS 97
Deep Diving 101
Elevator Chaplaincy 103
Exorcism 105
Ash Wednesday 107
Praying, Out Loud 110
Facing an Amputation 115
The Crow 116
Dead Bodies 118
On the Vent 122
"Not Me" 128
3 Loving 133
Ms. Doka with Shining Eyes 135
"Useless Old Woman" 139
Hold the Phone 142
Bleeding Out 146
Mr. Rupert's Blessing 149
The Singing Bowl 152
Under the Pillow 155
"I Know that Prayer!" 158
Expletive Undeleted 160
Psalm 88 161
Silent Night 164
Witch Doctor 169
No Family 175
Peace-Be Still 183
"We Have a Situation" 186
Garden Communion 190
The Holy Koran 192
Many Mansions 194
Maria, Full of Grace 196
Ending 201
Afterword 202
Appendices 205
1 Surviving the Hospital 206
2 Care Package for a Hospital Patient 209
3 When Someone You Love Is Terminally Ill 212
Bibliography 217