story4340.xml

story4340.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-09-11

I was at work in an acute psychiatric unit at the University Hospital in Newark, NJ. I had just come out of a morning meeting and found many staff and patients surrounding one of the televisions on the unit. Someone said that a plane had crashed into one of the twin towers. Everyone thought it was an accident. As we continued to watch, we all witnessed on live tv the 2nd plane smashing into the other tower. We all began to look at one another, now realizing that this was no longer just an accident. People were glued to the television and I began calling my close family members and my husband. Many of the lines were dead and cell phones were unreachable. When the news came that the Pentagon was hit, I began to feel a sense of panic. Then, the horror and trauma of watching the towers crumble, knowing that thousands had just perished in front of our eyes. My boss screached in horror, I began to cry. Then, we began hearing that one of the planes took off from Newark airport, only a few miles away. Also, the media stated that there were still several aircraft unaccounted for. This was very frightening to me. All I wanted to do was to be with my husband and family. The hospital began to call and emergency code. This meant that the victims of the tradgedy could be taken to our center. Visions of thousands flooding the hospital entered my mind, I really thought I could not handle witnessing this. I then chose to leave work and be with my family. Unfortunately, only a few dozen came with injuries instead of the hundreds and thousands that were expected.
I will never forget the eerie feeling of leaving work and seeing the smoke crossing the river to the jersey side. I will never forget the images of the burning towers which could be seen from the hospital windows. I will never forget the first few days and weeks following the attacks. I did not want to leave my home. I was having a hard time getting up to go to work, experiencing crying spells, and experiencing fear of the future and the unknown. Although I did not lose anyone in this tradgedy, it effected me as an American. It effected me so much that I questioned having children in the fear of the world I would bring them in. I have to say, that on the 1st year anniversary, 9/11/02, one good thing has happened.....I have chosen to embrace motherhood and am currently 27 weeks pregnant. My husband and I are expecting our first child in December of 2002. Today, I hope and pray that our baby to be will never witness such tremendous horror in this country or anywhere. I wish for peace and unity in the United States and here on earth. May God Bless the United States of America now and forever!!