How to deal with healthcare burdens
“The
doctor has just told me I have pancreases cancer. I didn’t hear anything he
said after that, would you please explain to me what does this mean again.”
“Can
you check for me again the diagnosis, I thought I have lung cancer but the
papers mentioned something about kidney cancer and you said the drug is for
kidney cancer, correct?
I thought I have only one cancer.”
A
patient in his early forties sounded brilliant, full of energy and so friendly over
the phone. He thought he had a cold but was told it is a late-stage cancer with
a very low survival rate.
A
woman in her twenties said, “I take my transplant medications every day. I almost
lost my kidney functions. I don’t want to lose this kidney because my previous three
transplants have already failed. “
The
last clinical note read, “He was upset he needs a bone marrow transplant. He
knows his chances are not high” I prepared my call, trying to be encouraging, and
when I called, I was told he passed away.
How
do you deal with these burdens?
This
article is for pharmacists and healthcare workers. For those who are heavy-hearted
from what they face in their work day. Recently I got closer to my patients; I had
changed my department from an outpatient supervisor to specialty pharmacy. Now,
I am interacting with more critically-ill patients. I used to care about
operations, efficiency and customer service. Now my focus is personal patient
care. During my first month at the specialty pharmacy, I was overwhelmed with
the tragedy and the fights my patients are going through. The examples above are
only a few of the burdens I was carrying.
Maybe
like me you were advised to separate patient care and your emotions. To seek counseling
if depressed. Over time you are expected to harden or get used to those stories.
Be grateful you are healthy and not in those patients’ shoes.
Well,
as a Christian this is not enough. During my emotional struggle I learned to
pray. Yes, to pray for my patients. Here is why: First of all, we are invited
to cast all your care upon God, for He cares for us. We are called to be
anxious for nothing, but to pray. God is asking us to let our requests be made
known to Him. Praying for our patients is not only an option. We are asked to
pray for them if you care about them, if their struggle is burdening your hearts.
As
God’s ambassadors we are responsible for the world we live in. Daniel did not
stop presenting his requests to God even when it was punishable. The same
principle applies to us. We are asked to open up to our God and share with Him
the things that we care about. It is a way to honor God, it is a sign of trust,
faith and dependence on Him. It grieves God’s heart if we are not involving Him
in things that we care about.
As
Christians we believe God is good despite our cursed world. We are asked to
pray that His kingdom would come on earth. To be clear we are not only praying for
our own mental sanity or just as a way to relax or to give Him our burdens, we
pray because we believe prayers make a difference. Prayer brings God’s kingdom.
God is the Healer and the Savior; He is a good God. We are calling on Him to
interfere as He sees appropriate. Given that our life here on earth is temporary,
and the good things are yet to come, our ultimate focus is on the eternal. If the
situation permits and you are allowed, go ahead and share the love of God with
them. If you are not allowed then pray that God will find a way to gain their hearts.
If they are already believers encourage them in the Lord.
Since
I started to pray for my patients, my career has become more meaningful. When I
feel useless, I know I will tell God about that and I know He will help, maybe
I will never know how but I know that my good all mighty God listened and is
involved. I feel relieved with no burdens. When I pray, I start an eternal
relationship with this patient. I also gain spiritual maturity as I keep my
eyes on eternal things. I think as I get exposed to the patients’ tragedies and
learn to pray for them, God is preparing me for when the dark clouds loom in my
own life.
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