i am remembering Joel and Rick. They both died from AIDS. Some of you might remember Rick. He was in my The View From Life story.

Back then, my little town only knew of AIDS as existing in the "big city" Most people had no clue we even had a "gay community" Joel was the first case I ever saw. He had purple lesions all over his body. Every day, I'd have to talk to the person who loved him most. I never knew what to say. What can you say to someone in that situation? We watched him waste away, and I think by the time he died, he weighed less than 90 lbs.

Rick was one of my best friend's from high school's brother. At first he was on the right side of my hall in my section. I used to go in and talk to him all the time. And the other nurses were so closed minded and bitches. He was moved to hospice but the family hated the care he got there so they insisted he be put back on my floor in my section (he was on the left side of the hall) By the time he came back to my section, he was semi-comatose and didn't know who I was.

Here is to all the AIDS patients and cancer patients we couldn't save. I might not remember your names, but I remember you all. I see each and every one of your faces and you are not forgotten. some of you I took care of, some of you I didn't, but I still remember you.