The Reality of Medicine

I began week 5 of Surgery rotation being on call. I worked from 5:30 AM on Monday to noon today (Tuesday). I came into contact with lots of patients, but two of them stood out to me. . .HIPAA prevents me from telling too much about them - but the lessons I learned & re-learned are there for the taking.

Ms. A was one of our patients I had an opportunity to chat with after a procedure. I learned all about her four kids, who ranged in age from 8 years to 1 week old (yes - 1 week!!!) She was a little teary eyed because she missed her kids. I kinda got thrown into this case & didn't really know her history, but I found about two minutes after parting ways with her that she has a very serious condition with a very poor prognosis - so the conversation we'd had about her kids turned out to be about kids that unless God intervenes, she will not get to see grow up.

The second memorable patient was Mr. B. who is a cancer survivor. I was sent up to "get his story" for my team. I took a detailed history & physical and during the process I learned that he had a daughter about my age. I was able to identify with his story about all the chemo, radiation & his relationship with his daughter from personal experience from my dad going through the same stuff. We exchanged little vinettes about the few "funny" things that go along with being a cancer patient. I left his room with four things: 1) the info needed for my team; 2) a new friend; 3) the instinct that this man's cancer was back; 4) reasurrance that God had a Master Plan.

I've always wanted to become a doctor for as long as I can remember. When I was 14 years old, my Grandfather whom I was very close to died after a six month battle with cancer. I decided that I wanted to be an Oncologist at that point in time. I have had a very (for lack of a better word) "eventful" last few years. My father was diagnosed with cancer during my sophmore year of college. He went through a major surgery, intense chemo & radiation and miracously recovered enough to make it my college graduation (which was located 7 hours away from my hometown.) Two years later (which is now almost 3 years ago), he became sick again & within two months he entered Heaven's gates. Only two months later, my mother almost died from Viral Endocardidits which sent her heart into stage IV CHF. By the grace of God, she has recovered far more than is humanly & medically possible. During this past 1.5 years, two of my beloved grandparents passed away. Oh yeah - during the middle of all of this, I began Medical School.

Even after all of this - I am still a very content & happy person. God is good & gave me the desire to be a physician and by His perfect plan - I am now a 3rd year Medical Student. I've now realized that the true reason I wanted to become a doctor (which is to make meaningful relationships with people when they need it the most) - does not start in July of 2008 when I begin my residency - it has already started.