Pain and suffering

Amy Goodman of Democracy Now interviews palliative care pioneer Dr Diane Meier of Mt Sinai Hospital in NYC in this short, poignant video.

Palliative care means pain management of serious chronic illness, not only brink of death illness.

Those of us who have ever experienced agonizing physical pain can relate when Meier says it is not character building to do so or there is no moral purpose, as many believe, by this agony. I am wondering if America's embracing of Jesus suffering on the cross has something to do with this ignorant attitude: that suffering is ultimately redemptive. That, I contend, is a morally reprehensible position.

My family doctor and I were talking about my sciatic pain thother day when I went in. I'd told him that a couple yrs ago I was laid up for months, couldn't even leave home to visit a beloved aunt who came to town. Scott would come over and take care of me. My family left me food.

Now, the sciatica is simply an annoyance, I told Dr Fox.

I spent nearly 35 minutes with him in the small examining room. Thirty-five minutes. We covered all my concerns. He was in no hurry to leave. I was given full personal attention and told him how glad I was he's my doctor.

He answered all my questions such as Why do I have such big black n blue marks? B/c when you have kidney disease like I do, your platelets work with less efficiency.

He said it's nothing to be 'tremendously concerned about.' He's very reassuring. He also wields a laptop, as do all five doctors in the practice. My previous test results were all there at the touch of a finger. I'd recently gotten a slew of tests for a possible kidney transplant and he looked up the results for me. Without leaving his chair, which was a padded stool with rollers on which he easily moved back n forth.

From the time I sat down in the waiting room and pulled out my book, The Postmistress by Sarah Blake, until I was called in, not even five minutes passed. They weighed me and took my b/p, put me in an exam room, I read a few pages, and then a polite knock came at the door.

In walked Dr Fox in his comfy black clog-like shoes except they do have backs, he told me. Comfy, like him.

Feel free to share your own comments about your doctors. BTW, Maria's question below under Disconnected drew many insightful comments, for which she and I are very grateful.