Mathoms, etc.

I saw Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor on Oprah the other day. Since I work in health care, it was fascinating to hear her experiences and thoughts as she was having her stroke. One thing she said that really struck me was that during her hospitalization, she said she could feel other people's energy. That when a particular nurse would enter, she knew if they were there to help her or not. When I was in the hospital, I also felt this way. That certain staff members were just going through the motions. Don't get me wrong; I commend St. Francis Hospital and Columbia-Presbyterian for their excellent care. My family knows I love my doctors, nurses and other hospital staff, but there were a few exceptions.

I went back to work last week, and I think my experiences this year have made me a more compassionate therapist. We get so caught up with complaining about "problem" patients, whiners, malingerers, "life-suckers" as one co-worker called them. But they are coming to us for a reason: they are in pain. Now I'm more conscious of how I deal with them, what sort of energy I could be giving off. I listen more, empathize more. And if only for that reason, I am grateful for having gone through what I've been through.

Here's Dr. Taylor's lecture. (She also wrote about her ordeal in the New York Times bestseller, My Stroke of Insight.)