Dammit to HELL, this has been a rough week! Another one of my patients died yesterday.

[Aristus]

He had a lot of chronic medical problems, but they were all exacerbated by one of the worst chronic problems of all, alcohol abuse. He was a pretty decent guy who really had little hope by the last time I visited with him of getting off the bottle and getting sober. I did what I could for him.

About my patient recently who died from emphysema, I was kicking myself, wondering if I hadn't done enough for her. I had referred her back to her pulmonologist a week or so before she died. My assistant talked on the phone with her husband, and he told her my patient had made an appointment for a consult, but then had cancelled it, and then died two days later. I don't know if by keeping her appointment death could have been staved off a little longer, but I guess we'll never know. The news took the stone off my heart just a little.

[Liberal Jesus Freak]

1. ...

So sorry But what a good person you are for caring so much. Prayers...vibes...Whatever you need...coming your way

[Aristus]

3. Thank you.

I work in primary care, so I don't have it nearly as rough as providers in trauma, or oncology, for example. They do this sort of thing on a day-to-day basis. I take my hat off to them. When I lose a patient, I usually hear about it in an message from the hospital.

[PasadenaTrudy]

2. It sounds like you did the best you could

That's all anyone can do. That bottle is a hard one to kick permanently. Old demon alcohol.

[In_The_Wind]

4. You can't save everyone.

Especially when your patients won't/don't do their part in getting better.

[denbot]

5. You are like a stone in a brook.

You do what you can, but for better or worst the lives you touch will still just flow by you.

[LeftishBrit]

6. I am sorry

Medical practice must be terribly stressful at times. Having to deal with people's potentially fatal illnesses - of which addictions can certainly be numbered can't be easy. But you are helping lots of people!