Gifts of Gratitude 1 (A Series of Gifts from My Patients, Their Families, My Students and My Teachers)

Let’s face it, we all love to receive gifts.  As doctors, we are not supposed to accept gifts from patients, but it is just a wee bit difficult to tell that to a small child who brought you a plant or spent last night painting you a picture telling you how grateful they (but more likely their parents) were that you helped them with a problem or got them through a surgery. One of the greatest pleasures I get from my work is when a patient and their family says “thank you” in a concrete way. While words are certainly enough, and I never expect even that, a small gift is always exciting—a plate of home baked cookies, or best of all, a piece of art.   Over the 25 years that I have been working in Buffalo, I have been the happy recipient of many different art forms, all given from the heart and many made with the little hands not quite ready for the Met, but all masterpieces in my eyes nonetheless.

My latest delight arrived on the day before Thanksgiving when I received a watercolor made by the hands of two brothers. Literally.  These water color hand prints with names next to them will always remind me that I had helped this mother once again enjoy her two little boys.  A month before, this seriously sleep deprived mother came to me just about in tears.  She needed help more than they did, it seemed.  Both boys wouldn’t sleep, waking nearly every hour.

After a diagnostic endoscopy (looking down the voice box and trachea), we decided they were suffering from excessive acid coming up from the stomach and irritating their airways.  Now, after a few months of treatment, the situation was much improved.  They were both sleeping through the night; their breathing and reflux were under control; and they began to gain weight.  And the Mom’s joy radiates from the simple water color that now hangs in my office.  For just doing my job, I have a precious memory that is full of hope and happiness. The message I got from that family is what makes it all worthwhile.

This is just one of my many treasures.  I have kept them all.  And for every piece, every painting and every card, there is a story of a special patient and a special family who touched me in a very special way.  To all of you, a wonderful, artistic thanks.