There was a similar heading in 2010 but here I wish to talk here about "patient-physician" relationship
There are several (new) problems of physicians (Physical) touch with a patient especially with modern advances like Ct and MRI scans which is what keeps the physician busy, looking at the pictures or results and then he has more eye contact with the computer screen than the patient where he finds all the info needed for diagnosis and treatment The healing from therapeutic effects of Physician touch even if just holding hand is becoming less and less with modern technological advances.
I have a long experience of all kinds of patients, children, and adults etc and have many memorable experiences but here I wish to relate an extremely exciting example that I recall
In a small hospital in England, I was looking after adult male and female patients and some pediatric ones too. A 3-4 year old girl was admitted in our childrens ward with "Failure to thrive" diagnosis
She was able to sit unaided but could not stand or walk. There was almost no speech though she understood all that was said to her. There was no smile or any other emotional expression. That is severe physical and social retardation.
The background was; no father or mother and no other father figure or such relations in the family. She was just abandoned. The whole circumstances picture I dont remember but you have got some picture now and she was up for adoption
Her height and weight were those of two year old. I visited her daily and spent some time trying to play with her and sure enough in a couple of days she started responding to me The nurses told me she calls me Daddy So I started playing like a daddy with her what we do with child patients anyway and she looked forward to my daily visits.
I was amazed as were the nurses who were recording her height and weight as the graff was rising significantly and she started walking in one week, was speaking with everybody and evidently her sociability was advancing rapidly every day.
I felt proud of of my person as a physician as well as felt humility
Soon afterwards a family adopted her and I dont know if she progressed further. I guess she did.
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