4.21.2005

People...people who need people...you know the rest

I like my job a lot, but occasionally I am reminded that I am not a trained medical professional; really, I'm being paid to create the illusion that I am calm, in control, and know what's going on. The opposite is generally true. I was trying to assuage an angry patient today, but I just didn't have the vocabulary to convince her of...well, anything. She was pretty upset with me, and I just felt like a bumbling deputy; like Barney Fife trying to do Andy's job.

"This is a big deal, okay? I have cancer again, and I absolutely need to make sure my films get to my doctor on time." Cancer again. I can't imagine those words coming out of my own mouth, but I'm beginning to understand that people get sick all the time, it's very real, and they just have to deal with it.

I'm glad to be healthy, and I'm glad that I get to at least try to make a few sick people feel at ease.

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