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One Day in the Life of a Physician by Ihor Magun, M.D., F.A.C.P. One rewarding aspect of being a physician is that no two days are ever alike. On any given day similar medical cases and scenarios may be the agenda; the next may hold a series of common problems presenting in uncommon ways. But no matter what the individual day brings from a medi cal perspective, it is always the individual patient that makes the work of a physician so interesting, unique, and even intriguing. One day that reinforced this idea for me many years ago began with early morning hospital rounds, lunch on the run, a full office schedule, and numerous interruptions. The last patient of the day was a woman in her late eighties, accompanied by her daughter. The patient was sitting in a wheel chair; she looked frail, yet was immaculately groomed. Peering into the reception area, I knew this was not going to be a simple case. I also knew I would not be leaving the office for quite some time. In medicine, as in any other professional, even the most dedicated individuals begin to lose their energy level and enthusiasm after a grueling day. But there are personal and professional courte sies that one must adhere to and as the wheelchair was moved into my office, I greeted the two women cordially, turned my attention away from my own flagging energy, and redirected it to them. Clutched in the hands of the daughter was a file that was about two inches thick. She com mented, "Mom felt it would help if you had her reports and evaluations." She explained that they had recently relocated to the area because of eco nomic reasons and caregiver needs. The first words uttered by the mother, my patient, was "How was your day?” This was fol lowed by “Thank you for taking me on as your patient." The words were spoken in a soft tone, but the sincerity with which they were delivered and the facial expression that mirrored this sincerity were somehow energizing. I suddenly felt empowered and the cumulative tiredness brought on by previous events of the day fell away. My new patient’s medical history was complicated. In fact, she had to be hospitalized that same evening, yet all of the activities her immediate care involved seemed easy and not at all burden some. In the years to come, I continued to serve as her physician and she continued to serve as source of energy and a confirmation of my purpose, simply by telling interesting stories and humorous anec dotes in that kind and sincere manner she had dis played during her first visit to my office. One of the lessons I learned from this patient and from others along the way is that all individuals have unique characteristics and personalities and that the medical relationship between a doctor and a patient provides an opportunity to learn more about people, individually and collectively. In today’s health care environment, with its emphasis on insurance issues and restrictions, the best part of being a doctor is taking care of patients and getting to know them. No bureaucratic system can take that away. One of the most important aspects of the relationship between a patient and a physician is that it involves two people and that the way they interact with each other can add to the well being of both. As the illustrative anecdote about my wheel chair bound patient shows, a kind word goes a long way. Cordial and sincere communication, after all, is one of the basics of human nature at its best. It is what shows that we are humane as well as human. Incorporating this simple lesson into our lives and applying it to all our encounters with others, whether they are healthy or ill, is not very difficult. It is, however, very rewarding. Visit shut ins. Visit an elderly friend or relative. Visit some one who is in a nursing home or hospital. Or some one who is going through a rough patch and needs some moral support. Your encounter with this per son will bring each of you something special. A kind word or gesture evolves into its own special brand of energy. Best of all, this positive energy spreads itself around and will very likely embrace others. Видання C оюзу Українок A мерики - перевидано в електронному форматі в 2012 році . A рхів C У A - Ню Йорк , Н . Й . C Ш A.
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