Week 1 of Internal Medicine over and I end it with a very rewarding patient experience. 

I had been following A.B. for 4 days now. He was admitted for biopsy of a lymphoid mass behind his sternum. He's also homeless with a history of depression and suicide attempts. He lost his job awhile back after passing out at work. Then he and his wife separated and she took their 3 young daughters ages 3-8 to Utah. 

By the time I met him, he was already in a different place mentally and emotionally. His life was stabilizing, he was no longer homeless...but now he has a mass concerning for lymphoma. Even still, he is pretty content with whatever the future holds. He wants to fight it, whatever it is. He feels he's grown so much just by the way he has reacted to his medical circumstances. I could tell he was proud of himself. 

The first day I met him, I told him I knew about his history of depression and suicide attempts. I encouraged him to feel comfortable enough with his treatment team to tell us if he's struggling with it. I think he appreciated this and it set the tone for our relationship. 

He was discharged today. He asked if he'll see me again if he returns to the hospital. =) 

That made me feel like an awesome person. I know I'm good with people. I know I'm compassionate. But doesn't mean I know I'll be a good doctor. I won't know until I actually am a doctor. But it's very likely. This patient is evidence of that.