By Shannon Booker, MD (Med-Peds)

Social media is often maligned as a source of stress and wasted time. However, every once in a while, one is reminded of the positivity and community that social media can create. One example of this phenomenon is the recent Twitter hashtag #ShareAStoryInOneTweet. In this series of tweets, started by an emergency room physician at Oregon Health and Science University Esther Choo (@choo_ek), healthcare providers share 140-character stories of impactful experiences they have had in their job. Of course, being an open forum, there are off-topic and not-safe-for-work posts mixed in, but many of these stories, which read almost like poetry in their phrasing, ring true for those of us taking care of patients. Even some names familiar to UAB can be found in this thread. I’ve selected a few that I found meaningful and if you find these to be thought-provoking, I would encourage you to spend some time reading through the hashtag and perhaps contributing your own story.

Esther Choo @choo_ek : When I first met B, he’d been dead for 20 min.We got him back, inexplicably. He calls me every year on the anniversary. 10 years now. #ShareAStoryInOneTweet

Amy Overend @AmyOverend : I placed you in the arms of your mum for the first time since you were born. We took off your ventilator, and you took your last breath, your parents kissed you goodbye. You saved 3 other people but your parents said I saved you & them. I cried with them. #ShareAStoryInOneTweet

Ella @__coffeebean : 7 years ago today I attempted to take my life and ended up in ICU, comatose with a GCS of 3. I worked hard and got well with a lot of support from great nurses, doctors and allied health practitioners. Now I'm on clinical placement training to be a nurse. #ShareAStoryInOneTweet

Stefan Kertesz @StefanKertesz : Your #opioids were cut, and you faded gently. Unable to take meds to protect your transplanted kidney, you filled up with fluid. Once the docs knew you would die, they infused dilaudid until you were dead. You never complained.  #ShareAStoryInOneTweet 

Shivani Mody @ShivaniMody : You were 17, collapsed playing soccer. We coded you for hours. Your dad cried that he has HOCM but never had you examined even though he knew he should. Your dad=illegal immigrant+too scared to take you to a doctor. He thought he was doing you a favor. #ShareAStoryInOneTweet

Laura @laurapolsean : One time I snuck my patient over to another tower to see his wife. The ICU nurse and I made them milkshakes and let them have their anniversary date while we charted. It's the little things. #ShareAStoryInOneTweet