the dark side

"Hold on.... she might be firing a patient."

"What does that mean?" I wondered as I waited to meet with the oncologist I was shadowing for the day.

Embarrassed, I wondered if that was medical slang I didn't know for starting someone's chemo treatment.... sort of like firing an engine or a gun. Shortly after that, in a rather Scrubs kind of moment, I imagined a line of patients covered in ceramic gaze, ready to be fired in a kiln like pieces of pottery.

But no, my creativity was mistaken. A doctor can "fire" a patient, or terminate their contractual treatment relationship, under certain extraordinary circumstances. For reasons of privacy, I won't detail the situation, but suffice it to say, there are those who abuse the medical system.

As a kindred bleeding heart, I could tell the doctor was shaken by the experience. She apologized to me and halfheartedly joked that after a day with her, I would probably go screaming to the hills.

Quite the opposite, the whole experience was comforting in a weird way. I know that I'm idealistic and naive, but when the rubber hits the road, I think... I hope... that I would rise to the challenge of dealing with people who are sick and want help.... or people who are sick and don't want help..... or people who pretend to be sick.... or finally and most dauntingly, people who are sick but for no apparent or discernible reason.

I think that's at least part of what a doctor does.