“My boyfriend suffers from Muscular Dystrophy.” said 27-year-old Jessica, as she tried fighting tears rolling up in her eyes while I sat beside her hospital bed at Mayo Clinic, listening to her unfolding of symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis.
“He has done more for me than my family and friends ever did. My family and friends thought I was faking my symptoms, but only my boyfriend understood what I was going through. The pain, fatigue, and spasms are the worst ones. I try to handle headaches and weakness in my legs, but this disease breaks me down these days. Mr. Singh, I am not a quitter nor is my boyfriend.” she said sobbingly while recuperating from her acute exacerbation. Her grit in the face of debilitating illness was beyond commendable and their deeply touching tale of unconditional affection that developed over supporting each other in their adversities left me with a lesson for life. As I followed up with her, I realized what …show more content…
During my neurology elective as a foreign medical student, I had ample opportunities to see patients with multiple neurological conditions that I had only read about in books. Participating in providing health care to such patients fueled my curiosity to learn in-depth about them and develop a deeper understanding of pathological processes which affect the way our body functions and how minute disarray in neuronal structure can crumble down an ideal functioning human being. These patient encounters taught me that a thorough history and physical exam are indispensable to localize neurological lesions. Managing patients along with attendings and residents instilled the qualities of teamwork, presentation, empathy, and consequently conquering tough clinical situations with calmness, thereby providing a platform to cement a foundation of neurology for
“He has done more for me than my family and friends ever did. My family and friends thought I was faking my symptoms, but only my boyfriend understood what I was going through. The pain, fatigue, and spasms are the worst ones. I try to handle headaches and weakness in my legs, but this disease breaks me down these days. Mr. Singh, I am not a quitter nor is my boyfriend.” she said sobbingly while recuperating from her acute exacerbation. Her grit in the face of debilitating illness was beyond commendable and their deeply touching tale of unconditional affection that developed over supporting each other in their adversities left me with a lesson for life. As I followed up with her, I realized what …show more content…
During my neurology elective as a foreign medical student, I had ample opportunities to see patients with multiple neurological conditions that I had only read about in books. Participating in providing health care to such patients fueled my curiosity to learn in-depth about them and develop a deeper understanding of pathological processes which affect the way our body functions and how minute disarray in neuronal structure can crumble down an ideal functioning human being. These patient encounters taught me that a thorough history and physical exam are indispensable to localize neurological lesions. Managing patients along with attendings and residents instilled the qualities of teamwork, presentation, empathy, and consequently conquering tough clinical situations with calmness, thereby providing a platform to cement a foundation of neurology for