Some days in medicine seem like an epic saga in which the world seems to be playing whack-the-doctor. It is easy to vilify doctors and cast much blame at them. And true, we bring some of this onto ourselves.
Today was one of those days, and by the end, I was just all too ready to run out of the office and go home. And then the last patient came and changed my whole day. He shared humorous stories of his recent medical care, making my medical student and I laugh for almost 45 minutes straight. As he was leaving, he said, “You saved my life, lady.” He said it in a funny accent, not sure who was trying to imitate but just knowing that he was.
People often ask why I decided to become a doctor. He is the reason. As a doctor, I know my patients give me just as much as I give them. It is not always about curing diseases or saving lives, but making a very real difference in the face of human suffering. It is very easy for doctors, especially those in family medicine, to feel underappreciated and like pawns in a dysfunctional health care system. This patient gave me a smile today when I really needed one.
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