Self-care should now be your plan

A family medicine resident sings, “Self-Care Should Now Be Your Plan.”

Lyrics:

You’ve seen lots of deaths in the hospital.
Many patients you just couldn’t save.
You did everything you could have possibly done, but the winner was the grave.
People over you showed you no sympathy,
So you began to despair.
You just needed someone to show empathy
And some time to do self-care.

The wounds you have might be deep,
But a healer’s heart you keep.

It’s hard to be inspired when you’re so tired.
You’ve been pressured not to ask for help.
Now you’re attached to patients who’ve died,
Carrying that heavy burden yourself.
Now you should be gentle with yourself
‘Cause you’ve done the best you can.
You’ve served all your patients with your best work.
Self-care should now be your plan.

The odds often have been so against you.
Abuse is what you often endure.
People expect you to be immune from the stress,
But that just should not occur.
You are human, so you deserve some support.
You give so much selflessly.
You should have someone to whom you can report and talk confidentially.

People like that are out there,
Even if they seem so rare.

Self-love and forgiveness can help you be free,
As can releasing patients who are deceased.
Removing the burden of perfection heals,
So make peace with your deceased patients real.

Say to them, “I release you.”
Say to them, “I release you.
You’ve helped me practice healing care.
You’ve taught me so much that I’ll share.”

Say to them, “I release you.”
Say to them, “I release you.
You’ve helped me practice healing care.
You’ve taught me so much that I’ll share.
Now I can be a better healer if only I should dare.

Now you might feel inspired, despite being tired.
You can find those who will give help.
You can release your patients who’ve died,
Thanking them and taking stress off yourself.
Now you can be gentle with yourself
‘Cause you’ve done the best you can.
You’ve served all your patients with your best work.
Self-care can now be your plan.
Self-care can now be your plan.

(Spoken): No matter what, your healing work matters. No one should tell you otherwise, and nothing can change that, not even a shortcoming. You provide healing in a way no one else can. Care for yourself, and you can be the healer you truly wish to be.

J. C. Sue is a practicing, board-certified family medicine physician, founder of the medical music study resource Tune Rx, and co-author of the American Family Physician article “Septic Arthritis: Diagnosis and Treatment.” In addition to practicing family medicine, he practices medical musicology, and as a medical musicologist, he strives to make learning medicine fun and memorable by explaining medical concepts through song lyrics, which he shares through Tune Rx. He desires to use his other performing arts interests, including dance, juggling, and acting, to enhance his practice of medical musicology and improve medical trainee wellness through simultaneous learning and entertainment.