The quietly defiant patient

I face a fatigued, bespectacled 50-something-year-old man who has waited a gruelling six and a half hours for this moment. I harbour serious doubts that my skills are worthy of such a wait but am not about to share this. The man is wearing a tie and dress shoes after a day's work. He explains t...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Canadian Medical Association journal (CMAJ) 2019-04, Vol.191 (14), p.E399-E400
Main Author: Gorfinkel, Iris, MD
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Esophageal cancer
Family physicians
Hospitals
Humanities
Internal Medicine
Internship programs
Medical practice
Objectives
Patients
Physician-patient relations
Surgeons
Surgery
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:I face a fatigued, bespectacled 50-something-year-old man who has waited a gruelling six and a half hours for this moment. I harbour serious doubts that my skills are worthy of such a wait but am not about to share this. The man is wearing a tie and dress shoes after a day's work. He explains that a few months ago he was told that he has esophageal cancer. He has come to the emergency department after clearing his throat and bringing up a small amount of blood. He has come to the emergency department unaccompanied. I avoid the man's gaze and pretend not to notice his careful scrutiny. I sense helplessness, both his and mine. I obtain his history and learn that he is otherwise healthy. I perform a physical examination--healthy.
ISSN:0820-3946
1488-2329
DOI:10.1503/cmaj.181263