Albert Einstein’s Theory of Relativity states all motion must be defined relative to a frame of reference and that space and time are relative. This is the lens through which I choose to see life. When I was nine, I was serendipitously diagnosed with an ultra-rare disease, called Lymphangiomatosis. Overnight, I became a medical anomaly. I was the one in seven million. I was a perfectly healthy kid except for one tiny glitch: my lymphatic system had grown haywire. This single problem turned into many as my lung collapsed and then my spine did, too. This did not ruin my life, but it redefined it. During my parents’ quest for answers, I have been shuffled in and out of the greatest clinical and research hospitals in the country, as well as some of the worst. I have seen oncologists, hematologists, endocrinologists, surgeons, orthopedists, interventional radiologists, pulmonologists, dermatologists, nutritionists, integrative medicine specialists, homeopathic doctors, and one spiritual healer from India. I have been in a clinical trial, a lymphatic imaging study, and had one of my ribs and some lymphatic fluid removed for research. These experiences were where I started to gain perspective. …show more content…
Some cried; some were in pain. Some were scared; some dragged medical equipment in their wake, while others pushed walkers. All of us had a diverse range of adversities, all searching for answers, some more urgently than others. And although I still could not play goalie in soccer or attend my senior class rafting trip, I was able to swim competitively and play clarinet in the band, while the boy next to me had to pull around an oxygen tank. Unlike many others, I could still attend school. Patients with my disease are typically too frail, immunocompromised, or on a list for a lung transplant, never mind get the opportunity to go to college. So, getting back to Einstein, relatively speaking, I am definitely
In the medical community there appears to be a divide between disease-centered care and patient-centered care. Both Charon and Garden, readily acknowledge this. Charon explains how although doctors can boast in their “impressive technical progress,” and “their ability to eradicate once fatal infections,” doctors often lack the abilities to recognize the pain of their patients and to extend empathy (3). Charon further adds that “medicine practiced without a genuine and obligating awareness of what patients go through [empathy] may fulfill its technical goals, but it is an empty medicine, or, at best, half a medicine” (5). Often, doctors fail to remember that their patients are more than just a person with cancer or a congenital heart defect — they are human, a whole person with dreams, aspirations, and fears. According to Charon, “scientifically competent medicine alone cannot help a patient grapple w...
The video, “Cracking the Genetic Code,” brought for forth some great interest in knowing that the medical field and technology has advanced so much that we can know our own genetic code and if we will or develop a certain disease. But aside from the interest, the video also brought forth some heartbreaking moments for the patients in the video that have had their lives turned around due to medical illness. For example, Megan Sullivan, who was a fully functional young woman and started showing symptoms of Huntington’s disease during her college years, which reduced her functioning to where she can barely even speak for the interview. It’s hard seeing somebody that young go through those huge obstacles, or in the case of Catherine Ellton, who, in a way, was forced to speed up her life in a
Question Quote "I doubt that these experiences are unique to the hospitals or the medical school at which I have thus far trained. I expect that they pervade health care systems throughout the country. I give credit to my medical school for teaching me to be critical of the culture of medicine, apply interdisciplinary perspectives to clinical quandaries, and reflect on my experiences." (Brooks KC. 2015.)
Lymphogranuloma Venereum (LGV) is a long-term bacterial infection of the lymphatic system. LGV is more common in men than in women, the main risk factor is being HIV positive. Lymphogranuloma Venereum can be caused by any of the three types of the bacteria Chlamydia Trachomatis. Symptoms include drainage from the skin from lymph nodes, painful bowel movements, small painless sores on genitals, swelling and redness in the area of the groin, swollen labia, and blood or pus from rectum. After coming in contact with the bacteria, symptoms of Lymphogranuloma Venereum can occur within a few days to a month.
One fateful day at the end of June in 1998 when I was spending some time at home; my mother came to me with the bad news: my parent's best friend, Tommy, had been diagnosed with brain cancer. He had been sick for some time and we all had anxiously been awaiting a prognosis. But none of us were ready for the bumpy roads that lay ahead: testing, surgery, chemotherapy, nausea, headaches, and fatigue. Even loud music would induce vomiting. He just felt all around lousy.
It was becoming increasing clear to me that the hospital environment was a community that I knew one day I wanted to be a part of. For three summers, I shadowed one emergency room physician who has been an amazing role model and mentor. This exposure taught me not only a plethora of terms, but to think critically and quickly and to prioritize and reason in ways that had immediate benefit. I also learned a great deal about bedside manner, and how important it is to be culturally and emotionally sensitive to patients. Like my family, this physician noticed so many important things about people- who they are and what matters to them. She knew just when to touch someone on the shoulder, or to step back. She accounted for age and class and race and subtleties that don’t even have words. She viewed each patient as a whole person. One night a woman was brought into the ER after a car crash and needed a neurological exam immediately. She was wearing a hijab. This physician kindly addressed the woman and asked her if she wanted the door closed while she took off her hijab. They both knew the cultural significance, helping this patient to feel respected and less
I had known for years that I wanted to work in the health care field, but I always believed it would be as a doctor. I watched for the first few years of my brother’s life as he struggled with different health challenges such as being born premature, having croup and breathing difficulty, and speech impairment. Watching my brother struggle and then being able to overcome these difficulties, as well as seeing other children around him who were not as fortunate, really pushed me even at a young age to make a difference. My family, both immediate and extended, were very supportive, and I felt a real positive push towards working hard to achieve that goal of working in health care. In high school, I was fortunate enough to do a cooperative placement at the Peterborough Regional Health Center’s Intensive Care Unit. Through observing rounds and being in the medical setting, I truly knew this is where I wanted to
I asked Mr. Brown if he received the support from his loved ones to recover and his response was intriguing. He stated that his parents and siblings and everyone around him supported him in every way, without them he would have ended up in a complete opposite way from where he is now. This was not it, furthermore, he also mentioned how our culture had imprinted a negative view of people with disabilities. This next quote Mr. Brown mentioned; I feel like not only does it show the struggles of disabled people but also anyone who is different from society standards, “the awful thing is that people see your disability before seeing you” (Brown). Mr. Brown clarify that people
Sometimes we don’t expect the worst in life. My family and I definitely didn’t, my dad had a full time job at The YMCA, was a local youth pastor, and full time pastor. The day we found out about his diagnosis was a hard one. I don’t remember the “official” day it happened, but I do know it was a tough. This disease definitely changed our lives from the start of it. In the beginnings
The lymphatic system is a link of tissues and organs that help clear the poisonous toxins, waste and further unwanted elements that are inside the human body. The key function of the lymphatic system is to transport lymph which is a watery fluid substance holding infection that are fighting white blood cells, all over the human body.
Each day was, and still is, a hard, frustrating and stressful time. This incurable disease has had a dramatic effect over the years starting when I was in kindergarten. I remember when my mother started using a cane so she wouldn't fall when she walked. She could still work, drive, and go on outings with me, her only daughter. In the beginning I didn't know how to grasp it all but I gradually understood a little more each day.
If I told someone I had a disability one may never know, and that's what makes me who I am today. Throughout middle school I struggled severely with academics. I felt hopeless and constantly thought to myself that I would never be able to improve academically solely because of my disability that I was newly diagnosed with. At that time my self-esteem along with my self-confidence was unquestionably at an all time low. Entering high school, I wanted to make a change in myself. I knew that times were becoming serious and I wanted to prepare myself as best as I could for college, leading to a successful future. I had high expectations for my future and knew what kind of life I wanted and what kind of life I wanted to give back to my family. Experiencing my single mother struggling to support me after going through one of the most harshest divorces a child could imagine, I also dealt with improving myself after being diagnosed. The diagnosis allowed me to become more motivated than ever to make a change in myself not only for
When I returned home from a mission trip in April of 2012 things didn’t seem the same. My body felt as if it had been run over by a herd of elephants. I looked like a balloon with the swelling that had taken over my body. I went to school for a week and then I could not return, I was in so much pain, I didn't know it was possible to feel like this. Little did I know this would be the rest of my life. Months after my mission trip, in the month of August in 2012 I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and Rheumatoid Arthritis, two painful diseases that I will live with for the rest of my life.
The human body is something I find extremely fascinating and have been interested in since a very young age. Success in my college studies and extra work in the Hospital and clinical placements has given me a deep academic grounding in which to approach a degree in medicine with confidence and enthusiasm.
I started to explore the different fields of medicine by working as a Medical Scribe in the Emergency Department, ER tech in Trauma Centers, getting involved in research, volunteering at hospitals and taking high level science classes. This will enhance my knowledge and experience i...