Thread by @OlgaMuldoonMD

3 years ago, I was being put to sleep before surgery & while I knew everyone in the OR, I was frightened. I was fighting back tears on the table.

Today, a patient gushed to my attending that a fellow held her hand before falling asleep

A thread 🧵1/

The patient said that she normally doesn't get scared. She works in healthcare. She's seen it all. But something about being alone, naked, while people mill about you without seeing YOU was scary.

I know, I felt it too. I felt childish asking someone to hold my hand.
2/

I asked her where she'd be going during her "anesthesia holiday", to which she replied a beach🏖️. No friends. No family. A few books📚. Teeny, tiny bikini👙. Mai tai's.

My attending smiled & said, "you realize the fellow who held your hand is Dr Muldoon"
3/

When she realized it was me, her whole face lit up. "It WAS you. It was YOU!" she said.

She laughed & said, "I even remember that you told me you're pregnant. You told me what her name's going to be. Is it still a secret?"
4/

"Yes," I told her. "Still a secret. Even [Attending] doesn't know the name yet".

She wanted so desperately for me to believe that she remembered that moment, that she walked over, leaned up to my ear, and whispered my 25-week baby girl's name to me.

5/

"Yup", I said. "You & my husband are now the only two who know her name".

She BEAMED. 🤩She teared up a little, then told me thank you again, while looking directly into my eyes.

6/

It's the smallest gesture. And I've certainly been told its fruitless, w/ comments like "They don't even remember" and "you'll be in anesthesia's way".

I 👏DON'T 👏CARE.

I remember the fear & the loneliness of those moments like they happened yesterday.
7/

There is data to support hand-holding & verbal comfort (i.e. being an empathic human) w/ regard to anxiety & anesthetic effect:
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26333111/
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30027283/
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29275402/
...among many others
8/

Honestly, there's nothing groundbreaking here. Just one person holding another person's hand. 🤚 And how such a small measure can mean so much to another individual.
9/

Imagine that during a traumatizing experience you've had, whether it was hearing of a loss, experiencing pain, etc - if you had someone - ANYONE - to hold your hand.

Would it be as terrifying if you knew someone was there just for you?
10/

#MedTwitter #ProTip In longwinded summary, I hold every. single. patient's hand during anesthesia induction. When I meet them in preop, I make sure to ask permission to do so (not everyone shares my hand-holding love ❤️). I've yet to be shot down. I've yet to regret it.
11/

Give it a chance. Let me know what you think. #MedStudentTwitter - I'm looking at you. #Doctors #Nurses During COVID, it's been hard to feel that human connection. Let's bring back the #handholding.