What a Great Job!

Let me start by saying that I love my job.  I feel very fortunate to work in area that is stimulating, rewarding financially and most of all where I can make a difference in the lives with whom I work.  I thought it might be interesting to others to know why I do what I do and what I enjoy the most.

Being a doctor is a wonderful profession.  Being a primary care doctor is even better.  It is a great feeling to be able to have someone come in to the office, diagnose their problems, and work together on solutions.  Just being able to tell someone what their problem is often all they need.  I can see the worry in their eyes when I come in to the room.  They have been on the internet.  They are quite sure they have MS (multiple sclerosis) or perhaps a stroke.  Maybe it is celiac disease or possibly autoimmune relapsing polychondritis?  (No, not even spell check knows what that one is!)  It is easy to get frightened by the possibilities.  More often than not it is something more common, less dangerous.  It is a good feeling to be able to reassure and educate them.

As good as it is to fix problems, I get much more enjoyment in preventing them.  Health is so much more than the absence of disease.  Health is determined by all the choices we make in a day.  It is a feeling of well being when all parts of our life are in harmony.  Last week I saw a young woman for a routine physical examination who truly had no medical problems.  Yes, she could exercise more.  Junk food is pretty rare.  Though not perfect, she does a good job with nutrition.  She doesn't smoke, she does not drink alcohol.  It seemed that all was well.  After a busy morning of seeing people with lots of problems, I thought to myself, "this is great, to see someone so healthy."  Literally on the way out of the door, she asked "is there anything good you can give me for anxiety?"  It turns out her husband is an alcoholic.  I need not outline any details but her mental health has taken a beating for awhile.  I could not solve her problems in those few minutes together, but being able to discuss them with her is a step in the right direction for her well being, for being truly healthy.

One of the hardest parts of my job, but one that I take a lot of satisfaction in, is helping others understand and deal with bad news.  I understand that we are all mortal.  All of my patients will eventually succumb to some sort of illness.  It is my job to tell them and their families what process is occurring, what their options are and what they might be able to expect in the future.  Sometimes it is better to stop treating all of their problems and focus on a patient's level of comfort.  It may no longer be important how long someone lives but that they be surrounded by the ones they love at the end.  End of life discussions are gut wrenching, emotional but are so very important.  My warmest hugs, my most heart felt compliments and expressions of gratitude have not been received from those who finally started to exercise and eat right, it has come from the family members of my dear friends who have passed on from this life.

Do you know what is the most fun?  I love the look in someone's eye when I walk in the room and they have lost seven or eight pounds from their last visit.  They have been trying so hard to eat right.  It has been a struggle to get up and exercise, but they have been determined and are really doing their best.  Their blood pressure is down, their blood sugar numbers are down and they are excited.  They are quietly waiting for me to notice on my own.  I love saying, "good job, keep it up."  This is especially true with smokers.  Sometimes I need to be stern and "lay it on the line."  Sometimes I am more of a cheer leader.  Sometimes I just need to listen.  That is the art of medicine.  I know I don't always get it right.  There is nothing better than having someone come in who has finally quit smoking.  It may take years and years of trying but when they do, I know that I have helped them achieve health in a more significant way than any surgeon or specialist ever could with their expensive surgeries or their fancy procedures.  My greatest reward is to see my patients be simply healthy.