This is my last week on pediatric pulmonology. Something a lot of people say when you are applying to a pediatrics residency is, “Wow how can you do that, it must be so sad.” And it’s true, we see heartbreaking stories and children with severe, debilitating, sometimes terminal diseases all the time. But we also get to be participants in stories of intense joy and hope.
During this rotation I’ve had a chance to work with a lot of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). These patients often can get very sick. There was one patient who I had a chance to see a few times in clinic and peripherally once in the emergency department. He is only about 6 months old around the time I’m writing this, but in his first few visits after he was born he just wasn’t gaining weight the way we would expect. He got admitted a couple times because of this, but his poor weight gain kept being attributed to poor feeding at home. Eventually he did get a work-up and diagnosis of CF, but it took way too long and something that I will continue to reflect on and think about throughout my career. I serendipitously had a change to see him in CF clinic while on this rotation and see him now getting proper treatment and growing well and looking healthy fills my heart so much.
We have another kid on the inpatient side who came in very sick and just has severe pulmonary disease due to his CF. He is only 3 years old. When I first saw him and he was still early in the course of his acute illness, he was just not a happy camper, understandably. Over time I’ve gotten to see him perk up and be more playful and interactive. Today he wanted to borrow my stethoscope and wanted to listen himself and then listen to me. He’s been smiling and happy, saying hi to us and bye to us enthusiastically these past few days and I just melt.
It’s these stories that keep me going. Especially for these kids who spend so much time in the medical system, in and out of clinic appointments and hospital stays, we as medical providers have an opportunity and privilege to try be a part of their reality, and hopefully bring some joy into situations that others may see as tragedy.
nANIMOv 