This morning, as I got dressed in the hospital locker room after my morning run, I was struck by a patient sticker I had somehow left on the inside of my locker door. It was for a patient I hadn't seen in months, but could so vividly recall upon seeing her name. thirty years old, diagnosed with breast cancer just before thanksgiving last year. newly married, at her initial consultation, i remember her husband saying "WE are having a bilateral mastectomy". it's the "we" that stood out to me, and continued to do so as I watched her progress through her surgery, expansions, and chemotherapy; they always came in smiling! I see a lot of pain in my job, and I'm sure this patient experienced her fair share of pain, anxiety, and sadness, but the light I always saw between her and her husband was pure happiness...and it always radiated from them, warming me at our every encounter.
whatever I may have felt unhappy about this morning faded away. and i looked at that sticker and immediately smiled. I'm so grateful for all that I learn from my patients! happiness comes from within. choose happiness :-)
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