Compassion Rejuvenation

My life revolves around stories.  My stories. other peoples stories, fantasies.  I love every opportunity I get to hear new stories about people's lives.  How they lived, where they lived, what shapes them into who they become.  In hearing other people's stories, I am rejuvenated.  I take part of their life and make it part of mine.  I allow it to become a new creek feeding into the river that carries me along.  Stories of overcoming what others would see has hardships touch me the most.  They provide me the greatest amount of strength to do better for those I care for.  They remind me of the importance of family, and the power of friends.  They remind me that even those who can no longer communicate with us, also have a story.  These people are the ones we need to listen to the most.  How many elderly people have lives that we never know about because they can no longer tell us about them?  How many times do I wish I'd spent more time learning about my grandmother and great-grandmother who passed away during my lifetime?  Their stories are fading in my memory.

I went to see a dance/film presentation on the life of Pete Pihos today.  It really got me energized.  I know that most people don't generally associated positive feelings with Alzheimer's or other dementias, but I draw strength from these stories.  Not so much the steady decline of the disease, but who the person is.  I say is, because that person is still there inside the deteriorating frame.  He or she is still there through the people that love them, that can remember who s/he was.  People get so bogged down in the negative, they sometimes forget that those with dementia are still with us.  They are still people who deserve our love and respect.  Watching this show reminded me that I should try my hardest to take the time to learn about who each of my patients are, even if they can't tell me themselves.  I just feel like they deserve that honor and respect, just as I have gained the honor to treat them as a physician.  Each day I fall more and more in love with what I have chosen to do as my career.  I'm just so excited to meet all the new people along my journey that I know I have already begun but feel I'm still waiting to start moving.

I am Rebecca L. Omlor, fourth year medical student.  I am compassionate about providing the highest level of care, respect and understanding I can to the people I have the honor of caring for.  I cannot wait to meet you all wherever you are, if we get a chance, even in passing.  We are all beautiful, special people with wonderful stories that deserve to be shared.  I love each and every one of you from the bottom of my heart.