REFLECTIONS OF A MED STUDENT ANDRIY KATYUKHA Intravenous drug user. Type 1 diabetes. Non-compliant with outpatient treatment. This is the summary I received about a patient in the hospital. The circumstances of this patient were not only frustrating for me but deeply saddening and jarring. The patient was a young man, diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and also plagued by addiction. At his age, he had suffered two heart attacks, septicemia, and spent a significant time in the ICU fighting for his life. I was told that discharge orders were going to be filed and he would be living with his sister’s friend, a living situation I felt was not appropriate due to the mounting difficulties he would have struggling with addiction and managing his condition. Upon realizing that I was perplexed by the idea of discharging him, the healthcare team member turned and told me “To be honest people like this will likely just die eventually, there’s not much we can really do”. This stuck with me for the duration of my shift and as I have continued in my studies. Originally, likely from naivety, I thought to myself how that comment lacked empathy and showed little concern for this patient’s well-being. As I started to outwardly reflect on this experience I began to understand that while the comment was delivered in an abrupt manner, the person described a rather real problem. They had expended many resources to educate this patient, but he would likely not be able to cope on his own, and continuing to support him as an inpatient would not only over burden the healthcare
system but would prove futile. I thought about how the patient might feel in his current position. He likely felt trapped and scared. Addiction is not something you can escape easily, and dealing with the unfortunate realities some people face further perpetuates the cycle of addiction. I wonder if he asked himself, “how much longer do I have to live?”. This question inevitably invokes feelings of fear, as we are often worried about our own mortality. I also thought about the perspective of the care team. They had worked hard to give this patient good outcomes, but at the end of the day this patient might not live a full life due to the circumstances life had dealt him. Did they wonder “did we do enough?”. I became more cognizant of the privilege and life experiences that have placed me where I am today. I have a number of support systems that make it possible for me to pursue my goals. Many people may be full of potential, but due to the way they have been treated and the circumstances of their lives, reaching that full potential is not possible. This experience is striking to me as it was the first time I had been part of a care time dealing with the incredible challenges that people face day in and day out. As a physician, I hope this realization helps me approach issues related to patient care, not only through the lens of a medical doctor but also as a human, using my fortunes and challenges to help me empathize and treat patients with the dignity and compassion that everyone deserves.
8 UKRAINIAN CANADIAN STUDENTS’ UNION
VOLUME 61, ISSUE 02
