1/🧵An Epiphany: #delirium treated w touch & eye contact, day by day...his mom cried, “He won’t let us help him shake this damned disease.” Finally his mind cleared. “What matters to you? How can I help?” Slowly, surely, he asked, “Doc, can you help me stop drinking?”💔
#Recovery
#Recovery
2/ #GroundZero. What a privilege it is to witness someone enter a long-awaited epiphany that opens the door to so much recovery. Unfortunately, in my early years as a doc, I thought, “Well, this isn’t critical care, so I’ll move on & let someone else take over.”
#shame on me
#shame on me
3/ But what is a doctor for?
1. To reduce human suffering & heal people where they are.
2. Plus the Latin root is “docere,” teacher.
It’s a dual vocation: healer + teacher. Because of the “Law of the Gift,” I know that the more I give, the more I receive, so…
#TipsForNewDocs
1. To reduce human suffering & heal people where they are.
2. Plus the Latin root is “docere,” teacher.
It’s a dual vocation: healer + teacher. Because of the “Law of the Gift,” I know that the more I give, the more I receive, so…
#TipsForNewDocs
4/ Consistently I find that my patients provide me more healing and teach me more than I’ll ever gift 🎁 out to them. At least now I know that when a patient’s ICU needs are small but she asks, “Doc, how do I stop drinking & tame my addiction?” my response is…
5/…to sit & listen. Not to offer advice unless asked. To be present. To validate. To teach about the disease of addiction. To make sure the entire group knows it’s a family disease. Everyone will be a participant in recovery, yet each is responsible only for him/her self.
6/ Recovery is never a one-size-fits-all. Everyone has to enter into his/her own program. He wanted this, and we navigated him to professional help and rehab, including #AA and the family to #Alanon. We discussed his choices, healthy boundaries, and taking it one day at a time.
7/fin
The most important things were he was asking for help & as his physician, I was extending my hand. It was a start for both of us.
“Recovery takes time, self-refection, the ability to hear exactly what it is that you need, and the wish for a better life.”
Polly Drew #hope
The most important things were he was asking for help & as his physician, I was extending my hand. It was a start for both of us.
“Recovery takes time, self-refection, the ability to hear exactly what it is that you need, and the wish for a better life.”
Polly Drew #hope
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
