Good Health Turns To Illness example essay topic

Shaun Miller Values 1) How does your state of health affect your life? On a daily basis? The big picture? 2) What gives your life meaning? (What is important in your life?) 3) Are you a religious person? Are you a spiritual person?

If so, what are you beliefs? Do your beliefs help you deal with illness? Do you belong to a religious or spiritual community? If so, what does it mean to you or how does it help you? 4) What goals do you have for the future? 5) What fears or worries do you have?

In general? About being sick? 6) What are your thoughts about death? Have you given much thought to it? 7) How would you like your health care providers to address these issues when caring for you?

Values (Self) 1) How does your state of health affect your life? On a daily basis? The big picture? A) I believe the state of my health plays an enormous role in my day to day life. Being in the healthcare field I see everyday how people's lives are drastically changed when there good health turns to illness. This experience has allowed me to value my current state of health and not take it for granted.

I try to tell my self everyday, as much as I can, to heed the medical advice of my own profession so I can try to maintain my health for as long as possible. The main active health issues in my life right now are diet and exercise - two things that I need to work on the most. With med school hours and my brilliant excuses I am not at the healthy level I would like to be in these two areas. In terms of the big picture, I believe ones physical and mental health is paramount to any possession one could ever acquire. This state of health is a major determinant in the quality of life one can lead because bad health often limits the places we can go, the people we can see, and things we can do. (What is important in your life?) A) Meaning in my life is extracted from G-d, Family, and friends.

Through G-d's gift of life, I am able to try and make a positive difference in this world. Without being surrounded by a loving family, close friends, and G-d's presence, I would have no meaning in my life. 3) Are you a religious person? A) Yes, I am a religious and spiritual person.

I believe in the Old Testament according to the Jewish tradition. My beliefs do help me deal with illness, by giving me a deeper understanding as to why someone might suffer from an illness. Also, with meaning in my life, I have the desire to shake the illness and move on with my life to continue making the world a better place. I am an active member in the Jewish community. There are many aspects of the Jewish community that assist people who are less fortunate, especially people with illness.

There is a big emphasis within the Jewish community to visit and provide for the sick. This provides a tremendous deal of encouragement and inspiration to fight through an ailment. A) My immediate goal for the future is to finish up medical school in a fashion where I can extract the best possible training / knowledge so I can practice safe and effective medicine. On top of this, I would like to start a family and build a home that embodies love and good values. In general? About being sick?

A) I occasionally have fears that I will contract one of the horrible diseases that take your life at a young age. Being a medical student doesn't help this fear because it just supplies me with a list of these diseases making them all a real possibility in my eyes. Luckily, these fears are fairly transient and don't debilitate me with panic. I would just hate to suffer at such a young age, and leave so much opportunity to do stuff in this world behind. I also have fears of family members getting seriously sick, and having to deal with the pain of having bad health strike someone I really care about. I do think about death occasionally.

Through my third year in medical school, I have only faced the death of a patient twice and for some reason that I am not quite sure of I was able to deal with it fine. Throughout my life though, I have always pondered the question of what happens when we die. I generally believe that there is an afterlife where all of one's good deeds on this earth entitle a person to a good experience in the afterworld. I don't try to understand it too much, or delve into it through my religion. I believe that one shouldn't be focused on death and the afterlife, and just live everyday on earth to its fullest. All I ask of health care providers is to be sensitive to your patients' religious beliefs.

Finding out what drives a person, gives them meaning, and provides them with rules in life is crucial in determining what they want out of your healthcare. Other than that, I don't think it is necessary to get into religious discussions with your patient. Values (Prediction for my patient) 95 y / o, white male, with h / o of MI, stroke, melanoma, cataracts, macula degeneration 1) How does your state of health affect your life? On a daily basis? The big picture? A- I believe, since this patient has a long history of multiple medical problems, that this patient would state that his health problems have had a major effect on his life.

I am sure he will have a lot of stories about the discomforts of being in a hospital and how one's life can be turned upside down with an illness. He might even have some regrets of things that he should have done when he was younger to prevent having to deal with some of his illnesses. Since some of these issues are active including the cataracts, macula degeneration, and melanoma he would talk about how they inconvenience him day to day with the symptoms including some blindness, and also having to go to the dr. so often. At this stage in his life, the patient might feel sick and worn out, wondering how he will make it through the next illness. I am sure he has also come to terms with the fact that illness is just another part of life. (What is important in your life?) A - Being 95 y / o I am sure that he has a lot of family including many grandchildren that can keep him company.

I am sure having this family around gives him meaning. I am not sure if he would find meaning in religion, but chances are that he has some kind of relationship with G-d. He might have some hobbies to do around the house. Before his wife died, he must have found meaning in marriage and loving his wife. A- I think this person will be a person who was raised according to a traditional religious teaching, but now has come to his own terms with G-d. Unless he is near death, I predict that he doesn't really look to G-d to help him through illness.

He is probably involved in some spiritual community events that bring together some elderly to discuss living with medical problems at an old age. They might have some non-denominational prayer, and some social activities. They might help him deal with some of his medical issues, and thoughts of growing older / dealing with mortality. A- He probably has some unfinished business to do. There are probably some places he would still like to see, and maybe some people who he hasn't seen in a long time to see.

Although he is 95 y / o I am sure he still has a long to do list. In general? About being sick? A- He probably has some fears about getting another illness.

He might not feel so strong at 95 y / o to deal with any more illnesses. He might have a fear that his melanoma will spread and kill him. He might have fear of falling or accidentally hurting himself. A- At his age, I am sure death crosses his mind a lot, but he doesn't like to think about it much. To a certain degree he probably has come to terms with the fact that he is probably going to die in the near future, but he is probably really scared about dying. A - I am sure he would think that health care providers discussing issues of spirituality, values, and beliefs with their patients as great idea.

I am sure through many of his visits with physicians he has not had these issues addressed, and would find it refreshing and important to see that future health care providers would now be focusing on such issues to provide better healthcare. Values (Actual Interview) 1) How does your state of health affect your life? On a daily basis? The big picture? A - I have been through a lot of health issues, but only recently in my life. Through most of my life, I was care free and didn't worry about getting sick.

I had my appendix out as a young kid, and then really nothing until my MI - except for the cataracts surgery a few years ago. I smoked for 50 years, but quit thirty years ago. I consider myself lucky. I didn't have to think about my health much. However, now it has become a big pain.

I had that MI, which wasn't a big deal... a few days in the hospital, then suffered a minor stroke. They also don't stop cutting things from my skin. The real issues that are bothering me now is that I am going blind and I can't sleep. I don't know how I will deal with it if I lose my sight completely. I will sleep less.

Health is a big deal for most people, it can really mess up your life, but I think I am doing alright. (What is important in your life?) A - Two things used to give me meaning in my life- My wife and my work. Now I have neither. Thankfully, I still have my kids, grand kids, and great-grand kids even though I don't get to see them much, because they are spread throughout the country. I am close with my daughter, (with him in the room), who lives near me. Right now, I find meaning in being able to sleep and wake up to go to the doctor.

A - I was raised Irish Catholic in Boston. I would go to church with my family every week. I hated it. I grew up doing what I wanted to do. When I got married, I didn't incorporate too much religion into the home, although my wife sometimes wanted us to be more active in the church. I just wanted to teach my kids the values of right and wrong.

I am not an atheist. I believe in a G-d, but not the one from the bible. There is a creator, but we have to determine what is right and wrong from our own hearts. Religion doesn't help me much with illness. It is my strength that has gotten me this far.

I don't get involved in the community. I like to read the newspaper, watch TV, spend time with my daughter and her family, and do things that I do on my own. I don't like spending time with old people. A - Not too many. I am 95 years old and have done a lot in my life.

Right now, I just want to live day to day and try to keep myself as healthy as I can. I want to enjoy my final few years here - nothing specific though. Maybe see my grand kids a few more times. In general? About being sick? A - I am not scared of anything at my stage in my life.

I have lived a long life, experienced some tough circumstances, and don't believe that I have fear left in me anymore. Maybe, I am a little scared about going blind. I must say, that are there are certain doctors that scare me though. That could be a good enough reason to be scared of getting sick again.

A- I have thought about it, but I have come to terms with it. I am certainly not scared of it. I have experienced a lot of death with my parents, other relatives and all my friends dying around me. I know that death is a part of life, and could be around the corner for me, but I am ready. I think there is some kind of an afterlife, and I believe that I have done more good than bad in this world- For whatever that's worth. A - I think it is great that you guys learn this stuff in school.

I just hope that you are learning good medicine too. I have seen the whole spectrum of doctors, and there are some real bad ones out there. They aren't nice when they talk to you, they don't tell you what is going on, and they don't always make the right decision. Maybe if the doctor would address these spiritual issues he would spend more time with his patient. It is probably a good thing to know a person's belief background to give them better care. However, I don't need a Dr. spending much time on this stuff with me.

It is not that important to me. Maybe for some it is. NARRATIVE: My patient is a 95 year old white male with significant medical history for an appendectomy as a child, a cataracts surgery in his left eye 5 years ago, macula degeneration diagnosed 2 years ago, an MI followed by a stroke 7 years ago, and a melanoma removal 10 years ago. I am a 24 year old white male medical student with, thankfully, no significant medical history.

My patient is not so into spirituality, religion, and being involved in the community. I am a fairly religious and spiritual Jew that really enjoys being involved in the community. My patient has seen almost one hundred years of joy and happiness along with many years of war and tragedy. I have experienced only a quarter of that amount. Who is supposed to do the teaching and healing in this interaction? How could I possibly teach this guy anything?

He probably knows more about his medical problems than I do. What will be my role in his life? I believe we were matched up as opposites to demonstrate how physicians often need to bridge the gap, by digging deep into a history, like a values history, to establish a more meaningful and probably more effective patient-doctor relationship. My patient does not like to display the fact that illness has played and is playing a major role in his life. He feels that he is a strong person and can get through any illness with enough strength, until that final bout takes him away. With 95 years of doing just that, and winning his wars on illness, it makes sense that he has the confidence to continue doing what he is doing.

He does not like to dwell on illness, or make any big deal about it. I think that the one thing that has allowed him to be so confidant is because he has placed a lot of trust in physicians. Although, he feels like he personally has the strength to survive, he realizes that he couldn't have done it without placing his life in the hands of doctors. He is a patient that is very diligent about making his appointments and always tries to listen to as much of the doctor's recommendation as he can. Through seeing his dependence and trust in physicians, I realized that when I am a physician very soon, I will one day be taking care of patients very similar to him.

I realize that I am here to perform a service and offer people my professional advice. I believe that illness is an extremely important part of everybody's life. Although some people have it harder than others, everybody in some way needs to gather strength to overcome illness. Because, I have the sensitivity and commitment to try and figure out the deeper meaning behind life's ups and downs, I will try and take my understanding and make life bearable and meaningful during, before, and after times of illness. With this commitment, people will put their trust in my hands to hopefully make their lives better when dealing with illness. Sometimes, like in the case of this patient, it will be my job to initiate the conversation to really find out about what exactly the patient is going through, and what expectations the patient has about illness, death, and meaning in life.