Ice Water Empathy

Hal Higdon's Novice 1 Marathon Training Schedule: Week 6, Day 6


Days to Chevron Houston Marathon: 84
Planned activity: 7 mile run
7:50 am 57 degrees
7.02 miles    1 hour 17 minutes    Avg page 10:58 min/mile

Pride.

Not a trait I openly treasure but one I possess.  I admit I'm proud of my recent steps toward a healthier life.  I'm proud of the children I raised.  When I knock down a lot of pins in that power bowling game on Wii, I'm proud but that's pretty short-lived. 

I'm proud of my abilities as a health-care provider.  I know my way around Oncology and what I don't know I seek out and learn.  Even more, I'm proud of my ability to connect with my patients and their families and friends, making sure that the bigger picture isn't missed.  It's awesome to cure cancer but if scars are so deep and painful that no one can move after treatment, well then...just what have we done?  I try to help everyone flex and move along the way.   There are a lot of definitions of "move". 

I've worked in several different fields:  Cardiothoracic surgery, Medical Oncology, Radiation Therapy, Head and Neck Surgery, Psychiatry, Family Practice, and Pain Management.  In each field, that pride thing came up.  Someone would tell me how great I was at connecting with my patients and I would feel a little swell of wonderful on the inside.  Gee, thanks! 

Pain Management is a tough field.  People hurt and they complain about it a lot.  I admit to having a hard time feeling empathy.  It was easier to feel bad for my cancer patients.  Not so much for those who were being seen for non-cancer pain.  I didn't always get it.  I admit it. 

The last few days I've been plunging my feet into ice baths.  The nice thing for me is that I'm able to pull my feet OUT of this hellish freezing pain after a relatively short time.  How horrible it must be to live with the pain of neuropathy (diabetic or otherwise).  It's been described (by some) as feeling like your feet are in ice water...24 hours a day...7 days a week, with no relief.  Ever.

It's really something to have your eyes opened through your feet.

Humility.









©Michelle Scofield, October 20, 2012 All Rights Reserved