Thursday, January 27, 2011

Caring healers

Plaque seen in examining room of one of Mother’s physicians
The plaque above announces a central truth about the ear, nose and throat doctor Mother and I visited Tuesday. His actions, which speak even louder of his beliefs than the plaque, are typical of the two dozen medical personnel I have encountered in the past eight days. I am including receptionists, technicians and nurses along with the three doctors and one physician’s assistant that I visited with my mother and my mother-in-law recently.

I suspect that not all of these individuals would subscribe to the words on the plaque, but they all subscribe to something greater than self. And they all have contributed to the well-being of “the mothers.”

The tone of a doctor’s office and a hospital’s outpatient operations starts with doctors. I am thankful for these physicians who have surrounded themselves with individuals who respect and value people of all ages, who are patient with the elderly facing multiple challenges, who take the time to listen to what the elder is trying to say, who ask questions that draw out the information needed, and who follow up.

Physicians are themselves facing challenges and obstacles to giving the kind of personal, kind and thorough care that my mother and mother-in-law receive. I found today’s (Jan. 27, 20110) "empathy" post thought provoking at the Placebo Journal Blog: Medical Humor with a Purpose!

3 comments:

  1. How refreshing to find doctors so openly professing that there is a Healer better than themselves. It really must give you tremendous peace of mind.
    I'm off to read your link right now.

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  2. i only wish we had a few down here, i have found none like this and they should be this way. you are blessed to have doctors like that.

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  3. I'm glad your encounters have been with caring people, not all are. And it is so good that the medical schools are now teaching empathy. But I think that sympathy is about as far as it will go, but that's a good start.

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