M.D. A Prescription for Faith

1. Auflage 2021
ISBN: 978-1-0983-5203-5
Verlag: BookBaby
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: PC/MAC/eReader/Tablet/DL/kein Kopierschutz

E-Book, Englisch, 172 Seiten

From the Peruvian coastline of the 1940s to modern sunny Southern California, 'A Prescription for Faith' follows the life of a prominent cardiologist deeply devoted to his family, his patients, and his Catholic faith. The joys and sorrows inherent in a life of service are on full display in this riveting and truthful account of one man's journey, and the many ways in which his strong Catholic faith has guided him.

Autoren/Hrsg.

M.D.,

Leseproben

Homelessness My childhood home in Trujillo, Peru was sufficiently large for my parents and their eight energetic children. At the center of it lay a spacious rectangular patio from which the rest of the house branched out—bedrooms to the east and west, a living room to the north, and the kitchen and dining room to the south. It was on this patio that I would proudly learn to ride a bike, after falling countless times. On the street in front of the house, I would practice soccer—my favorite sport—with friends after school and on Saturdays. For many years, my sisters and I would play volleyball and find other ways to entertain ourselves on the grounds of this wonderful house, without a care in the world, and unaware of just how fortunate we were to have a place to call home. For some, the matter of having a roof over their head is not a given. Over the last 25 years, in fact, I have seen a growing number of homeless people in the areas surrounding my practice. At the time of this writing in 2019, the homeless population in Orange County, California sits at a record high of 7,000, up from roughly 4,800 only two years ago. I was shocked to learn that veterans and seniors comprise more than half of this unfortunate community, some of whose members are my patients. I think now of Dorothy, whose case illustrates some of the complexities faced by patients who lack permanent housing. Born in 1961, Dorothy was the only girl in a family of three siblings. Her younger brother, Jim, had a congenital bone disease, which required multiple surgeries in his arms and legs from the time he was a toddler. As the years carried on, Jim’s father served as an important source of inspiration to his sick child, encouraging the boy to walk, even though this caused him agonizing pain. Dorothy would watch these heart-wrenching scenes play out, unbeknownst to her father and brother, and cry silently in the wake of Jim’s misery. Dorothy began smoking at the age of 14, and took up alcohol a short time later. As a young adult, she would go on to attend for a time, stopping short of graduating. She became a single mother with two boys. By the time Dorothy paid her first visit to my office, she was 40 years old, and her cigarette consumption had skyrocketed to 30 per day. Her alcohol consumption, too, had steadily progressed over the years, and she had become, in her own words, a “functional alcoholic.” Dorothy came to me with a long list of medical conditions, including anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, obesity, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, thyroid disorders, chronic obstructive lung disease, neck injuries, and sciatica. She was seeing a psychiatrist for her anxiety and depression, and was taking multiple medications, most of which were for her mental illnesses. She was unable to hold a job, and used to sleep up to 15 hours per day. She became disabled following a neck surgery, and had also developed a heart condition. Dorothy was living with an alcoholic boyfriend, and in spite of her failing health, she continued to smoke and drink for some time. Then one day, following a rift in the relationship, Dorothy realized she was tired of the problems her drinking had caused her, and she resolved to give it up entirely. She quit that very night, and has been sober for more than seven years since. Following her breakup, Dorothy went on to live with her younger son and his wife, but this was to be short-lived, as she did not get along well with her daughter-in-law, and removed herself from the home shortly after her 52nd birthday. Dorothy found herself with no place to go, and no money to pay for an apartment or even an inexpensive motel room. Her only recourse lay in her 1988 GM vehicle, which was to become her new home, stationed in a nearby city park. This abrupt change was very difficult for her in the beginning, but she adapted gradually to her new lifestyle. The park restrooms were open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Outside of those hours, Dorothy was forced to postpone urination and bowel movements, sometimes to great discomfort. In the most extreme cases, e.g., when she suffered from loose stools, Dorothy was forced to employ diapers. She was the only woman among 25 to 30 other homeless people living in the vicinity of the park, and among the few who were not substance abusers. From the beginning of Dorothy’s homelessness, kind neighbors who lived nearby her parking spot offered her food and a place to take a shower when she wished to do so. Dorothy was reluctant to knock on their doors to solicit their assistance, though, as she did not want to impose. This led her to seek less invasive alternatives, such as enrolling in a local gymnasium, where, for ten dollars a month, she would have daily access to the showers. At present, Dorothy’s mobile phone is the only way she is able to communicate with the outside world, stay up on the news, keep appointments with her doctors, and talk to friends and relatives. She uses extra blankets to keep warm on cold and rainy nights. In spite of all her hardships, however, Dorothy considers herself fortunate, as she has her car for shelter—a relative luxury among the transient individuals with whom she shares the park. Dorothy has tried to make use of different shelters, food banks, soup kitchens, and other places designed to help the homeless, but none of them has been able to offer a long-term solution to her problems. She cannot rent a P.O. Box, since local and federal government agencies require a street address for mail forwarding. As a result, Dorothy’s small social security checks are mailed to the residence of her youngest son, whom she sees infrequently. This is an inefficient system, as she cannot retrieve her mail in a timely manner. It is not uncommon for large stacks of sometimes vital mail to be waiting for her. The gravity of this was highlighted in her recent failure to respond to a jury duty summons. Dorothy does not eat regular hot meals, instead eating whatever is available at any given moment. On rare occasions, she will treat herself to a hamburger from one of the local fast food restaurants. Her 12 medications, by contrast, are handled much more predictably, as she diligently takes them throughout the day, as prescribed. Dorothy sees her mission as being a helper to other homeless people in the park. Indeed, young and old alcohol- and drug-addicted outcasts come to her because she listens to them without passing judgment. Sometimes these individuals just want to talk to Dorothy, to get advice from her, or trust some of their belongings to her for a couple of hours. Unfortunately, Dorothy reports that many of them frequently steal to buy alcohol or drugs for personal use or resale. An avid reader, Dorothy passes time by reading books in a variety of genres. Often, in an otherwise dark parking lot, one faint light can be seen shining from the front seat of a 31-year-old GM, as Dorothy reads the Holy Bible with the help of a flashlight. Some time ago, the brakes on Dorothy’s vehicle became faulty, and it could no longer be driven safely. She did not share this problem to us, but her uncharacteristic missing of medical appointments and treatments made it clear to us that something was amiss. Thankfully, a Good Samaritan provided her with the money to replace her brakes. When later Dorothy’s car became inoperable again and needed another important part to keep it running, the same kind person helped her obtain the part, and her car remains operational to this day. While it is easy to encounter Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and in the Holy Scriptures, it is considerably more difficult to recognize and accept him disguised in the person of a transient individual such as Dorothy. Through the years, I have learned to care, accept and help these patients as they are, without passing judgment on them. As a physician, my job is to take care of the person in front of me to the best of my ability, regardless of all other considerations. It is not always easy, but neither is it impossible to listen to and embrace Dorothy’s life as a reflection of Jesus—the one whom we believe, love, and serve. Thanks to God, Dorothy’s condition has improved, she is smoking less, and is finding a purpose in her life through helping others as much as she can, within the circumstances and limitations of her own life. Amidst a perpetual wave of technological advancements designed to bring increased convenience, safety, and opulence to our lives, it is all too easy to forget that times were not always so pleasant. Worse still, many of us fail to remember that, for some, the seemingly ancient threats of starvation, succumbing to the elements, and being utterly out of touch with the greater population are very real—and very current. Let us remember that Jesus was born in a stable as a homeless baby. Soon after, he was on the run, looking for asylum in Egypt. Then, as he started his public ministry, he again became a homeless person. Jesus lived out in the open, sleeping harsh nights without the comfort of a pillow. In Matthew 8:20, he says, “Foxes have dens and birds of the skies have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head,” referring to his own transient state. When he died in agony on the cross, he had no home and no possessions. Thus, Jesus himself was homeless for much of his life. Jesus identifies with the poor, the needy, the hungry, the homeless, and the sick. He is very clear about this, as we read in Matthew 25:40 “...whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.” It is a mistake to make generalizations about the less fortunate. Each of these individuals has a unique story,...