among my brothers and sisters whose lives were dramatically transformed by
phone calls like the one I received the night before. Throughout the day and
with every patient interaction I thought, how brave, how stoic! Here I stand,
faced with the same knowledge that I may have a serious medical condition, yet
I'm falling apart inside while these men and women patiently wait to discuss
their uncertainties. I was taken by their poise. I began to draw strength from
their strength. For the first time in my life, I truly understood the patient's per-
spective and learned valuable lessons that will forever impact my surgical
career.
L esson No. 1: Show compassion
Surgical training in the United States is second to none, producing the finest
medical professionals on earth. However, the system is unable to effectively
impart the patient's experience. From diagnosis to outcome, only those who
have traveled that road and weathered that storm can internalize the depth and
breadth of what it feels like. It's not easy.
Let me share some insights. Bowel prep means imbibing a nauseating cocktail
of magnesium citrate, resulting in an endless release of liquefied excrement 24
hours before the operation. No one can assist. No one can understand. This nec-
essary indignity is followed by a pre-dawn arrival at the hospital for patient reg-
istration.
Once registered, administrators and nurses double and triple check my identi-
ty and purpose for being in their care. What's your name? What is your birth-
8 S U P P L E M E N T T O O U T PAT I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E January 2015
Take good care of patients and
everything else will fall into place.
