Halloo world!
I've been busy with the start of my clinical rotations, a situation I don't anticipate getting much change in over the next year. But I just thought I'd update with a quick mention of how things are going for me. I'm impressed by how emotionally, mentally, and physically challenging medical care can be. It takes a lot out of me to see people every day and try to think through what they might have, how severe it is at the moment, and what should be done for them, taking into account their current status and lifestyle factors that will affect their care. Then, there's the emotional side, where I'm constantly seeing people who are hurting, sad, going through a hard time in their life, unable to pay for all the medical treatment they need, or frustrated at a lack of answers about what's going on in their bodies. Or maybe in a hospital, I'm visiting with the sweet wife of a patient whose husband keeps deteriorating despite all our efforts to slow down his chronic disease.
So today, when I handed a prescription to a woman after listening to how nervous and stressed she was and told her that this should help, but we'd see her back soon to make sure that it was making a difference, and she gave me a hug and teared up, telling me that she always tried to be strong but lately her problems had been getting the best of her, it did a lot more than make my day. It reminded me of why I'm in this field. Yeah, I have these long-term dreams of working in medical missions, of living in an area that desperately needs medical care and helping to really build up the community. But just today, as a student doing her best in a little clinic in a normal city, I helped someone. I can't even sign the prescriptions or referrals that I hand to my patients, but that doesn't matter to some of them. And when I'm able to do something that matters despite the fact that I'm almost constantly trying to figure out how to work well within the medical field. I've got to study hours every day to make sure I'm able to make the hard calls once I'm out on my own in a year, but I can still matter to one woman today. And it felt amazing.
Comments (3)
Eleanor Roosevelt said that the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.
And God says: "Only be strong and courageous"
It's refreshing reading something meaningful once in a while. ;}
Great testimony. I have deep respect for medical professionals. This is very inspiring.
@dirtbubble - Well thank you! That's always encouraging to hear!