I have a pretty cool job.

I have a pretty cool job…

I sometimes take for granted my work's impact on others, which we're probably all guilty of. It's standard to establish a routine and then go with the flow. I see a patient, order testing, review labs, perhaps prescribe medication, chart, bill, and repeat. I look at my clinic schedule or the inpatient service and create a mental checklist of what I need to accomplish. I would show up and take my time with patients, establishing a connection by asking some history and then sharing a little about myself, answering any questions they might have, and then provide additional information depending on their clinical picture so they could feel as equipped as possible to succeed, whatever the diagnosis or issue at hand—no big deal. I'm just doing my job. 

But as I saw a patient today, someone I have followed for a few years due to his cirrhosis, we had a detailed discussion not at all regarding his liver but instead his anxiety. He had recently gotten a new promotion and struggled with working too much and bringing his job home each evening. He found himself dreaming of work, waking up in stress before rushing back to work the next day. This busy schedule was starting to interfere with his life, making it challenging to find time for exercise, which he desperately needed more of. He shared with me his concerns about setting boundaries with his manager, and we began working through the possible scenarios of what could occur if he did change how he showed up to work. We discussed his fears of disappointing others and how it would be impossible to please everyone. We also discussed how it would be a shame to give up his health to work a job that could easily replace him. We certainly did not solve his work and anxiety issues during that visit, but we opened the door to discussion and introspection. 

He left ready to try therapy, something he had never considered, and I left feeling incredibly grateful. He allowed me into a very intimate part of his life, which he hadn't shared yet with others. It reminded me of how intimate our health, all aspects of it, can be. To be given the trust of another human is an incredible honor, one that I don't take lightly. And I am grateful for the privileged opportunity to support others through their lives; whether for the most complex of concerns or the most minute, I am honored to be trusted and confided in.

I have a pretty cool job as a PA.