The Epitome of grace and poise

As we were getting ready to go home last night we received a call to go to a nursing home up against the mountains for a "fall".  Low and behold there is a little old lady lying on her back in her bathroom.  She had fallen an hour previously and crawled / dragged her way back into the bathroom so she could reach her call light.  Her leg was shortened and rotated laterally (possible broken hip).  This lady had every reason to be screaming, complaining etc.  I told her I was going to medicate her so we could get her out of the bathroom and on to our cot.  I explained to her that it was still going to hurt.  She looked at me and said "that's ok young man I will just do the same thing I did during childbirth".  I smiled and though ok and out of curiosity asked what's that?  I just say hum.  What?  "I just say hum".  Why hum?  "Because I don't like the word ouch and it's undignified to scream or complain".  I will be god dammed if that's not precisely what she did.  I am ashamed of what has become of my generation in the face of such fortitude and grace.  I think I would have screamed like a little girl!  On one end of the spectrum you have people who are just plain mean for no other reason then they think they can.  Dr's who complain about getting a 2 yo that's been wondering around outside at 2am because they are too busy being a bitch to actually care and on the other end you have people like this lady.  In every sense of the word a lady.  I hope I can someday reach that level of dignity in the face of that kind of pain.  In the mean time I'm going to go with this..........