A sample of my week's labors
I am glad it is the weekend.
Here are a few examples of what came to the clinic this week. Each one wanted me to help them somehow.
1) A 30 year old woman, mother of a 3, who moved to Arizona a few months ago when her spouse got a job. 1 week after they moved, he was killed in a hit and run.
2) An elderly woman, claiming she planned a massive overdose, only to lie on the floor for days while her spouse waited for her to die. When she showed signs of NOT dying, he called 911 out of fear he may be arrested. “We don’t communicate well”.
3) An 18yo lad, with a temper problem, who was jumped while on a vacation in Mexico. He thinks in the fracas he broke the assailant’s neck.
4) Another young man covered from head to toe in a blanket, stating he was shielding himself from telepathic beams from supernatural powers.
5) A young woman bitter that years of therapy haven’t helped her, never will. In the process she reveals she has an ongoing crystal meth problem. Did her previous counselors know? “Oh, I wouldn’t tell them that or anything personal”.
6) A woman wanting to tell her fiancée she actually lost her virginity in her teens to rape.
7) A woman at wit’s end; her demented agitated spouse is beginning to hurt her. She has no other kin or friends to help her. And she has cancer, likely to go before him.
8) A man on a leave of absence for depression; they laid off his team while he was away, so if he ‘goes back’ he will be terminated.
9) A man recently diagnosed with HIV; he doesn’t know how. He will be coming out sooner than he hoped and he isn't prepared this way.
10) A woman in chronic pain, but her medications make her fall; she broke her hip again, but doesn’t dare stop her pain medications. She wants to die.
11) A woman already feeling the pain of loneliness of Christmas. Her children haven’t spoken to her in years.
12) A woman whose spouse is again off to Iraq. Prior to his departure he announces he doesn't want to return to her.
Here are a few examples of what came to the clinic this week. Each one wanted me to help them somehow.
1) A 30 year old woman, mother of a 3, who moved to Arizona a few months ago when her spouse got a job. 1 week after they moved, he was killed in a hit and run.
2) An elderly woman, claiming she planned a massive overdose, only to lie on the floor for days while her spouse waited for her to die. When she showed signs of NOT dying, he called 911 out of fear he may be arrested. “We don’t communicate well”.
3) An 18yo lad, with a temper problem, who was jumped while on a vacation in Mexico. He thinks in the fracas he broke the assailant’s neck.
4) Another young man covered from head to toe in a blanket, stating he was shielding himself from telepathic beams from supernatural powers.
5) A young woman bitter that years of therapy haven’t helped her, never will. In the process she reveals she has an ongoing crystal meth problem. Did her previous counselors know? “Oh, I wouldn’t tell them that or anything personal”.
6) A woman wanting to tell her fiancée she actually lost her virginity in her teens to rape.
7) A woman at wit’s end; her demented agitated spouse is beginning to hurt her. She has no other kin or friends to help her. And she has cancer, likely to go before him.
8) A man on a leave of absence for depression; they laid off his team while he was away, so if he ‘goes back’ he will be terminated.
9) A man recently diagnosed with HIV; he doesn’t know how. He will be coming out sooner than he hoped and he isn't prepared this way.
10) A woman in chronic pain, but her medications make her fall; she broke her hip again, but doesn’t dare stop her pain medications. She wants to die.
11) A woman already feeling the pain of loneliness of Christmas. Her children haven’t spoken to her in years.
12) A woman whose spouse is again off to Iraq. Prior to his departure he announces he doesn't want to return to her.
posted by Ur-spo at 7:58 AM
16 Comments:
And I am sure that you did help each and everyone of them - you were there, you listened and you cared - isn't that what we all want in life anyway?
Some of that is so rough--and heartbreaking. I'm not sure I could ever do what you do; my first instinct would be just to put my arms around them, gather them in and hold them for a while. On the other hand, maybe that's what some of them are in most desperate need of.
PS. This afternoon i put a link to spo reflections onto DesignerBlog.
Wow! What a case load. Most tragic; some comic.
It may seem heartless, but I'm kind of glad you had #4 (man in blanket); sadly, it seems a bit of comic relief for you.
Even so, I'm with Spider in knowing that each one of them found in you the compassion they needed.
Wow! That's quite the tall order. My hat's off to you... you're a better man than I. Hope you're having a good weekend after all that, by the way.
Now that is a case load dreams are made of..or nightmares. Hat's off to you!
OHHHHHHH MYYYYYYY I hope you've got an outlet to dump some of this stuff? It sounds like my carpool commute - my carpool companion would fit right in with your list here. I have to listen to it in the morning and afternoon and it's the same "client"...and that's overwhelming. Good luck buddy!
WOW! That sounds wild. Got room for one more? I've got an employee that could really use your help.....or a good smack upside the head.
Better luck next week.
The only thing worse than what people do to one another is what people can do to themselves.
You've had a very full week, as you often do, I suspect. No matter how practiced one is in not taking it personally, it's impossible to be a full human being and not carry some feeling home for these lives. I hope you have time to recoup your energies, and a warm embrace into which to fall.
As I sit here feeling sorry for myself in a black abyss I realize it really isn't that bad is it?
I think I need to read up on you a little more my friend......I'll explain later.
OMG!?
This is all in one day. I always wondered who do the therapist talk to. Hugs bud.
Talk about a thinking-man's post. It does put things into perspective.
Wow, this is the perfect example of why every therapist needs a therapist. Helping others through these extreme situations is incredible, I have such great respect for you! Hope things work out for the best for each of them.
No wonder you've been down. I hope you also have a few patients that aren't that extreme.
I admire your strength!
Ah, sweet memories of the place we both used to work. Makes me glad I only have 10 clients on my current caseload. Of course every one of them is a doozer, with horrific life stories, but at least they are all known quantities. I feel your pain, Dr. Bowtie.
Post a Comment
<< Home