It was with this reply by Charlie Chaplin that one of my meetings with Mr G ended. We came to see him to accompany him to the hospital, at his appointment with a specialist. He has several of these consultations scheduled in the coming weeks and in different disciplines.
And it is not always easy for him: he’s tired of spending his time in hospitals.
Doctors do not always understand the difficulties he faces and are sometimes quite abrupt in their remarks. Sometimes he simply leaves the consultation, feeling neither supported nor understood.
However, for him, getting so far is already a victory.
But today, the consultation is a little different. The doctor takes time with him, is interested in his new home and how he's adapting to this big change. Among other things, Mister tells about his new acquisition: a Charlie Chaplin poster.
From there a bond is created...
The doctor then clearly explains his illness, the stakes, the possibilities, while taking into account the totality of Mr's situation in order to offer him the most appropriate treatment possible.
It may sound very simple, but these are the moments that gradually hook our patients to medical care.
I left the interview impressed by the ease and speed at which the link was created and, above all, the impact it had on the patient.
It doesn't take much: just take a little time and to show interest in the person.
--
(*) We do our utmost to respect the privacy of our patients and our professional secrecy. However, we want to testify to how they must survive and how we are working together to reintegrate them. As a result, the names of places and people are deliberately omitted or changed and real-life situations are placed in a different context. There is no direct link between the photos and the stories above.