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Kayley makes an excellent point that the heart of the documentary’s message is simply being there for someone during such a traumatic experience. The way the nurses and doctors in the film talked about their experiences – one even remarking that she felt “like a mother” to her patients, reflects the unique circumstances that arise when patients are particularly stigmatized and vulnerable. In the case of HIV/AIDS, many of the patient’s families were not there to comfort them because they could not accept them for who they are. This is when the nurses stepped in and provided the much needed sense of comfort, acceptance, and care in their final moments. I couldn’t help but be reminded of the summer I spent as a nurse’s aide in an Alzheimer’s/dementia care home. Many of the patient’s families stopped visiting because of their mental decline, which while understandably difficult, broke my heart because I knew them and appreciated them for the people they were now. I believe it is in special circumstances like these when hospital workers and nursing home caretakers really step up to provide even more than just medicine – but overall care. I really enjoyed the documentary for its ability to show this side of the health care field.
