Being a doctor isn’t glamorous. But this physician keeps coming back for more.
My last clinic patient of the day was a frail, elderly man. I initially found him to be awnry. He had the air of someone who was chronically irritated. He was also incredibly hard of hearing. Due to the awkward set up of the exam room and computer, his wheelchair was positioned in such a way that we sat side-by-side. His wife sat sleeping in her chair, her red lipstick applied perfectly and pearls gleaming under the fluorescent light. Their caregiver stood in between. I asked him a few times before he heard me how he was feeling. Then with a disgruntled expression on his face, he said he had a back problem and couldn't turn to me. His caregiver and I clamored over the computer and gurney to wheel him around so we could sit face-to-face. We stared at each other. He was quite frail and very well-dressed. He was someone who had been very successful professionally. His hairless head hovered between hunched shoulders. Eyeglasses sat atop his nose. Clear hearing aids were housed in