Doctor’s doctor

May I ask you how you feel whenever a person tells you, “I will follow what you tell me”? This statement immediately brings two words to mind: trust and obedience. As a member of a team, you say this to your leader because you believe that he will guide you in the right direction and that he has your best interests at heart. This is the reason why you willingly follow. Coming from a patient, this is a way of acknowledging trust in one’s physician. It carries an even deeper significance when the doctor is the patient. Total reliance on a colleague is the clearest message that even if you have a fair idea of the situation, it is outside your expertise. From the attending’s point of view, while it is certainly a confidence booster, it is a humbling task. A good friend has always said that being a “doctor’s doctor” has always been a constant source of pride. I am fully in agreement. To be handed that level of trust and confidence to objectively handle the situation is priceless and always a privilege.

On a personal note, to be the top choice still manages to overwhelm one, but in a good way. Have you ever met people who cannot thank you enough? One of the very many joys that life brings is the affirmation that you were able to be genuinely of help.

This past week, I played many roles—not as a doctor, but as a family member. I have been blessed to have an attending physician who has cared for my family as if we were his own and has grown older with us. I can never repay what he has done and continues to do. Having him as the captain of the ship and his very young and dynamic team has been both a source of comfort and an inspiration. Speaking and interacting with them was not only informative but also an opportunity to reaffirm what they probably didn’t directly hear from the captain himself: that he believes in them and remains supportive of their decisions.

If you have ever wished to have a moment immortalized and captured, that was one of them. You should have seen how their eyes lit up. One of them, upon hearing me say how confident the attending was in his ability to perform the job, visibly swallowed, bowed his head, and communicated what he didn’t say out loud—that he felt more than honored to have a senior colleague hold him in such high regard.

I could see why.

If you have ever seen grace, skill, and confidence seamlessly intertwined, he personified them. While that was impressive, what struck me more was how he conducted himself after the procedure. He created a very calm and conducive atmosphere for discussion, providing ample time not only to explain the findings, but also allowing me to get to the point that I could grasp the situation. Nothing was hurried or felt rushed.

This doctor listened. He shared his expertise, answered very delicate concerns, and gave his personal perspective when asked. When I said how impressed we were by him, he responded by saying that despite the numerous procedures that he has done, which has gone a long way in building his confidence, he always reminds himself to leave room for uncertainty as this keeps him on his toes. Here was a young man who fully understood the importance of humility. After thanking him for his time and effort, I tried my best to express how grateful we were. He simply answered, “Anytime po, Doctor,” and complimented this phrase with a warm smile.

The past week has been very trying and intense, yet my colleagues—both senior and junior—have taught me through their quiet but commanding and gentle presence lessons they themselves have learned and relearned. By staying true to who they are, not only as doctors but as individual beings, they showed that while clinical skills are an ultimate prerequisite, it is the capacity to show genuine compassion that can make you extraordinary.

Doctors do not just fix us physically, but they also offer whatever they can of themselves, to help provide answers, options, and directions. I see them as Earth angels, who help us realize how to accept what we preach about life, and remind us how we should trust in the Lord who is in control. We all struggle with our faith, but we should never forget that there is peace to be found in prayer as well as in having people pray for you and with you.