Memoirs Of A Medicine Man

The practice of medicine or surgery is not just sore throats colds and the flu removing gall bladders or back aches and belly aches. It is however a roller-coaster cornucopia of people and events where drama comedy the heights of joy and the depths of sadness are only moments away as if a revolving door is constantly ejecting the next encounter - a child with appendicitis a broken arm the Ku Klux Klan with death threats gunshot wounds snake handlers con artists sex racism rape a sweet old lady with arthritis or some addict - a never-ending myriad. Thankfully most of my patients and I grew old together in an air of love and mutual respect in an era of closeness between patients and doctors when doctors really cared - not only about the patient''s health but also about the patients themselves. Medical school forgot to mention ethics or talk about humanistic qualities abstract values outside the world of science. The patient is not just a patient case (that gallbladder in room 911) or a number but is a unique human being with emotions feelings worthiness fears hopes and worries as well as the capabilities of understanding and courage in the face of disaster. He or she deserves full respect. Ten Years of Rape Green Door of Racism Save A Sexist and Lose A Patient and The Comedy Corner are true stories about the people who traverse these pages a few of the curious encounters in my forty-year love affair with helping people - sometimes called the practice of medicine.