Doctors are Humans Too!

On my way to work, as I drive an average of about 60 miles round trip, I think about a lot of nothing and sometimes ideas of substance. I think about what I did wrong at work, what I can do better, about how I find myself frustrated at my patients and how they don't understand that I am not a robot --- I have feelings too like them because I'm human too.

Driving by industrial plants on the way to clinic.

Over the past month, I've been yelled at by a mother because I was "yelling" at her kid. I don't even remember being annoyed or frustrated at the kid, but I had to re-evaluate the well child visit and think about if what she said was accurate or not? Even thinking back hard, I don't feel like what the mother said had anything to do with me. Maybe she was having a bad day... but I don't know what she was expecting out of me, to be a perfect? I'm not perfect because I'm human too. 

I don't operate well on 0-3 hours of sleep. I don't know how my brain even thinks on that little sleep, yet somehow I manage to do just that when I was on inpatient psychiatry and getting paged throughout the night for admissions and to care for patients. I'm not complaining about the work; in fact, my stint in primary care has only convinced I chose the right residency in deciding on psychiatry. I am more and more reassured each day as I look forward to resuming my psychiatry training once I'm done with my required primary care months. I just want you (our patients) to know that we try our best to help and to heal you, but don't forget we have feelings too.

We don't like to be yelled at; we don't like to be bullied or pressured to do things we don't think are necessary; we don't want to stop caring because no one appreciates us.

I think some of the kindest words patients ever say to me is: "How are you?" and "Thanks."

Sometimes, it's just nice to know we're appreciated. We're here to help, so help us help you! :)

Flowers I spied while sitting outside for quick lunch.

Post.script. I also have a great fascination with photography as well as writing.