AT THE BEDSIDE life was about to start. It wasn’t even the fact that he was only a few months older than myself, that it could be any of my classmates lying in that bed, struggling with a disease that was now a “teaching case” for us. No… instead, I was struck by how much strength he really had. What he lacked in physical firmity, he made up for in mind and will power. Even as he lay there, explaining what led to the eventual diagnosis of his dilated cardiomyopathy, his words carried a vibrancy and
ing process, but the man before me was a true example of forward-looking against all odds. He maintained his positive outlook despite being out of work and living at home, with a pregnant girlfriend in another state, all while having his body ravaged by a sudden and severe “stomach problem” that would later be revealed as anything but. As we study to enter the profession of medicine, we are often prone to thinking about how difficult our present circumstances seem. It can be easy to
As we study to enter the profession of medicine, we are often prone to thinking about how difficult our present circumstances seem. It can be easy to respond to life stressors in unconstructive ways, by acting out, pushing others away, or being overwhelmed to the point of giving up. Nevertheless, we owe it to ourselves, moreover to our patients, not to give up. determination. He was articulate and intelligent, describing the tests and findings in a manner that would befit an entering medical student. He talked about how much he loved science, and that learning about his disease has made him think about going back to school to work in a job related to science once he recovers. Laughing with him, and hearing him talk excitedly about the future and his plans, it was hard to reconcile that this same young man was supposed to be ill… seriously ill. It made me question how I would react to similar circumstances, how my classmates would respond to such a life-altering diagnosis that could destroy the fabric of your life before you even knew what it was that was making you sick. We are taught that resiliency aids the heal6
OBLITERANTS
respond to life stressors in unconstructive ways, by acting out, pushing others away, or being overwhelmed to the point of giving up. Nevertheless, we owe it to ourselves, moreover to our patients, not to give up. Most of the patients we see will be facing far greater challenges than anything we are currently experiencing. Taking a moment to reflect helps bring this into perspective. It is not enough to just “get by”, no patient is “just another patient”, and no amount of stress justifies an attitude that makes you difficult to work with. Patients like the 27-year old expectant father remind us that we must take care to prevent burn out, and combat fatigue, because we have a duty to do our best for our patients and ourselves. Although I cannot say whether I would be