Making the most of the time we have
“It’s refreshing to have a doctor who’s a little more realistic and understanding of my situation.”
Soon after this, I changed jobs. I ran into Mr P before I left, and he accosted me about my leaving. “How could you desert me like this?” he half-joked. We talked a bit, and then, obviously somewhat uncomfortable with what he was about to say, he blurted out, “You know, I’ll miss you. You never made me feel too guilty, though God knows I probably should. It’s refreshing to have a doctor who’s a little more realistic and understanding of my situation.”
“Thanks, Mr P. It was a pleasure working with you,” I answered. “You helped me think through some issues, and I wanted to thank you for that. I’ll miss you, too.”
Correspondence
Monika M. Safford, MD, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, MT 643, 1717 11th Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35294-4410. Email: msafford@uab.edu.
