Friday, July 11, 2008

Patients vs. Patience


Wow! What a week this has been for challenging patients and challenging my patience.

I'm continously amazed at the way people think, live, act, ect.... I've had a 25 year old girl that has led a lifestyle that has wracked her body with disease and she has 2 small children at home, but she is unsure of who is taking care of her children. An 81 year old lady that has several sisters but no one wants to take responsiblity for her, they just want to place her in a nursing home and she doesn't want to go. Doctors that seem to think they speak the words and orders just magically happen in a split second. Then there is the 35 year old male that is so covered with tattoo's and a gauged earring that is so large that his earlobe is almost split. He is as gentle and soft-spoken as a baby but his body is filled with infection and he has no family support. I've had a lady that is 75 that was suffering from chest pain and when the test were ran, found out she had cancer spread throughout her body and now has to make some life altering decisions.

Human nature is a fascinating thing and when I deal with these patients, I have to think about the journey that has brought them to the point where they are today. Some of these patients have made some bad choices throughout their lives, others have just been dealt some really bad cards in life. My problems and situations in life are so small compared to what others have to deal with.

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