By Irwin C. A. Chung
Our most important role as a clinician is being a comforter to the sick.
——William E. Cayley Jr.
The Patient’s Tale
I had a patient with poorly controlled diabetes who had recently lost his father to colon cancer, and wanted cancer screening for himself. His tests were positive and an urgent colonoscopy revealed a large tumor in his sigmoid colon. The full work-up took almost three weeks before a decision on surgery could be made, and during this time I saw him a couple of times for investigation and management of his other chronic diseases.
Essential interventions aside, those sessions were opportunities for him to share his concerns, fears and uncertainty about his health and the future. It did not matter that his diabetes control was not yet at target. I am certain more healing took place during those few exceedingly long consultations than all my other encounters with him combined.
Commentary
The patient’s journey is a lonely one. When we are sick, beset by challenges, distressed, or overwhelmed, we see nothing beyond our misery, and others may not see what we see.
As doctors, we wield our pen and scalpel so confidently, but we are often impotent when the patient is weighed down by the burden of his illness. Perhaps at such times we can learn to put aside our prowess and simply be the patient’s encourager along the way to recovery and healing, or the fellow traveler who has seen enough to offer a tip or two.
Not so much I’m sorry you have to go through this, but I am here if you need me. Not merely to offer the skill of training but simply to attend and be present. Perchance this compassion may be the source of strength for the patient to confidently and squarely face his own challenges.
Many doctors can treat. If we are privileged, we may be part of the healing.
- Dr Irwin C.A. Chung
Irwin Chung practices in a polyclinic. He is interested in professional education, end-of-life care, and clinical practice improvement.
The commentary and vignette were reproduced with permission from the book “Being Human, Stories from Family Medicine” edited by Cheong Pak Yean and Ong Chooi Peng and published in 2021 by the College of Family Physicians Singapore.
Pictures of illness experiences were drawn by NUS medical students in workshops conducted from 2012-2017 by A/Prof Cheong Pak Yean. Senior family physicians subsequently shared vignettes and commentaries based on the pictures.
