|
I am called to be a physician for several reasons. These include my love for medicine and people, and my love for helping people. First is my love for medicine. The countless hours I have spent in the Emergency Department has exposed me to the science and art of medicine. I try to learn at every opportunity, and the problem solving aspect of medicine is fascinating. The labs and tests become clues used to identify the cause of someone's illness. Along with those clues is the ability to fit the pieces of the puzzle together. Once that takes place, the decision must be made on how to treat the patient. The medical field is dynamic, and there are constantly new things to learn and explore. Secondly is my love for people.
Every new person I meet poses an opportunity to establish a connection
and learn new things and ways of looking at life. A couple of times
in high school, I dressed up as Santa Claus for a nursing home and delivered
presents to the residents. Words can not describe what I felt as
their eyes and faces lit up. Something as simple as holding their
hand brought joy to each of our faces. In addition, my ability
to offer a quick joke brings up the spirits of others. Humor, if
used carefully, can allow a person to forget their problems and feel better.
Especially with children, I can
develop a rapport and relate to people. I was born with a birth defect
of my left ear. For many years I would not answer my peers' questions
about what happened and felt embarrassed. In the Spring of 1994 I
began the first of seven surgeries to construct a new ear. I know what
its like to be scared before a major procedure and what it feels like to
wake up after many hours on the operating table. I remember
the difficulty in speaking after having my incubation tube removed and
the feeling of helplessness. Remembering these instances will be
helpful to me in explaining to my patients what they will be going through.
Being through several surgeries myself allows me to relate to what they
are feeling.
I also know what its like to be
a family member of a hospitalized patient. My older brother was injured
in 1997 when his glider plane crashed nose first into a farm field.
Being the first one in my family to be notified, I was given the responsibility
of contacting my other family members. The next few months days became
difficult as we balanced our lives and tended to the needs of my brother.
Having a family member seriously injured puts an incredible about of pressure
on the family. I remember the helplessness I felt while my father
was undergoing open heart surgery. Each second felt like hours.
Not knowing what was going on forced me to rely on faith. Seeing
my brother and father in their hospital beds, not standing up an moving
around, was very traumatic. Throughout both of these experiences
my family was aided by the help and generosity of our friends. Having
someone looking out for us and making our daily lives easier made these
events bearable.
My patience for children became evident when I helped a first-grader with his reading. I remained patient as he hard a hard time sitting still and was easily distracted. Along with my love for patients is my love for the entire medical team. Everyone on the staff has a gift to bring to their profession, and these gifts can make a patient's experience in the hospital or nursing home a wonderful experience. There is so much to learn from the care and compassion of these professionals. I am grateful for the time I have spent in the Emergency Department, learning from these caring people and becoming friends with them.
|