Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

Awakening the dormant elements of humanity

Johnathan Yao, MD, MPH
Physician
June 11, 2023
Share
Tweet
Share

When I was first paged about Mr. P, I braced myself for the worst. He had already had three “code greys” called—the hospital code for aggressive behavior. When we met him on his hospital bed, he was bound by restraints on his wrists and ankles to protect the staff. He was admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) for alcohol withdrawal, though the medications used to treat his condition had no effect. Every time I went to his room, he would curse at me. His nurses repeatedly told me how sexist and racist he was. His blood pressure was high, his heart rate fast, and there was concern for how sick he was. Finally, when we gave the patient a powerful anesthetic sedative, he became calm.

Later, when Mr. P awoke at the end of his withdrawal, I found myself facing a man with a subdued smile. I noticed a Calvin and Hobbes tattoo on his arm and asked him about it. He began to tear up. “My childhood friend died. We both grew up loving Calvin and Hobbes. This was our favorite cartoon. It’s when Calvin and Hobbes are looking into the clear blue sky and reflecting on how perfect the view seemed, but Calvin runs out and grabs a red balloon to bring it into view. The point was that everything is better with a little color… thank you for helping me.”

We admitted another man, Mr. A, who came in bleeding from his colon. He was quite somnolent as we sought to stabilize him. A few days later, when he had been stabilized and his mental status had improved, I found Mr. A in tears. I asked him what was wrong, but they were tears of joy. “I’ve had a spiritual experience,” he said. “I never before realized how life is a miracle.”

Mr. A shared with me that he had previously been imprisoned earlier in his life but felt a sudden connection with God to live a new life. There were local community organizations that he now felt a calling to volunteer at.

“I made many mistakes before earlier in my life… but it’s clear to me now. I know why I am alive and why I was placed on this earth.” He continued to sob, but now more uncontrollably than before. “I am here to help other people.”

It was quite moving to bear witness to such an emotional catharsis in a patient.

“I know why I was allowed to live now and given a second chance at life,” he paused, taking a breath. “I just hope my body can still support me; it’s so weak. I still have a lot to offer to this world.”

Medical residency has shown me the power of the medicines we can offer to people, how we can stabilize and resuscitate even the sickest of patients. It is a joy as a physician to witness the human body recover after such a shock.

At the same time, at these critical moments when life can hang in its precipice, a window opens to parts of the human soul we may have never recognized before. At our best, we not only have the chance to save someone’s life but also live up to the ideals of our profession by potentially changing the trajectory of another human being’s life, and in some sense, truly making the world a better place.

I always wondered since my pediatrics rotation, how do children, who can be so sincere, genuine, selfless, and courageous in their expressions of joy and love, evolve over time to become adults who become hardened and stoic—and at their worst, so cruel and selfish? I always wondered if that element of humanity, which we see itself manifested so evidently in children, disappears as an indifferent fate, and as the realities of survival and competition come into play.

But maybe, after witnessing such intensely dramatic patient encounters, that side is not fully gone; rather, it remains dormant and needs something as drastic as a near-death experience to bring it back out—as a reminder of what life and living are really about.

Johnathan Yao is an internal medicine resident.

Prev

Breaking free from BMI's limitations for fair and effective care

June 11, 2023 Kevin 0
…
Next

Unveiling the truth about medical cannabis [PODCAST]

June 11, 2023 Kevin 0
…

ADVERTISEMENT

Tagged as: Critical Care, Hospital-Based Medicine

Post navigation

< Previous Post
Breaking free from BMI's limitations for fair and effective care
Next Post >
Unveiling the truth about medical cannabis [PODCAST]

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

More by Johnathan Yao, MD, MPH

  • Inspiring lessons from WWII veterans and the intensity of the medical field

    Johnathan Yao, MD, MPH
  • How one liver disease patient found hope and overcame adversity

    Johnathan Yao, MD, MPH
  • From medical student to intern: Discovering a deeper connection with patients

    Johnathan Yao, MD, MPH

Related Posts

  • Don’t judge when trainees use dating apps in the hospital

    Austin Perlmutter, MD
  • A message from a patient to health care workers: Always remember your humanity

    Michele Luckenbaugh
  • Are hospital CEOs responding to the realities of health care?

    Ammura Hernandez, MD
  • The dark horse of the care team: a parent’s perspective on hospital chaplains

    Laura Spiegel
  • How social media can help or hurt your health care career

    Health eCareers
  • What charity care patients get big hospital bills

    Jordan Rau

More in Physician

  • The hidden cost of malpractice: Why doctors are losing control

    Howard Smith, MD
  • How scales of justice saved a doctor-patient relationship

    Neil Baum, MD
  • Rediscovering the soul of medicine in the quiet of a Sunday morning

    Syed Ahmad Moosa, MD
  • The broken health care system doesn’t have to break you

    Jessie Mahoney, MD
  • How a $75 million jet brought down America’s boldest doctor

    Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA
  • The dreaded question: Do you have boys or girls?

    Pamela Adelstein, MD
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • What’s driving medical students away from primary care?

      ​​Vineeth Amba, MPH, Archita Goyal, and Wayne Altman, MD | Education
    • How scales of justice saved a doctor-patient relationship

      Neil Baum, MD | Physician
    • Make cognitive testing as routine as a blood pressure check

      Joshua Baker and James Jackson, PsyD | Conditions
    • The dreaded question: Do you have boys or girls?

      Pamela Adelstein, MD | Physician
    • The broken health care system doesn’t have to break you

      Jessie Mahoney, MD | Physician
    • The hidden cost of delaying back surgery

      Gbolahan Okubadejo, MD | Conditions
  • Past 6 Months

    • What’s driving medical students away from primary care?

      ​​Vineeth Amba, MPH, Archita Goyal, and Wayne Altman, MD | Education
    • Internal Medicine 2025: inspiration at the annual meeting

      American College of Physicians | Physician
    • What happened to real care in health care?

      Christopher H. Foster, PhD, MPA | Policy
    • Residency as rehearsal: the new pediatric hospitalist fellowship requirement scam

      Anonymous | Physician
    • Are quotas a solution to physician shortages?

      Jacob Murphy | Education
    • A faster path to becoming a doctor is possible—here’s how

      Ankit Jain | Education
  • Recent Posts

    • Addressing America’s reliance on psychotropic medication [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • The hidden cost of malpractice: Why doctors are losing control

      Howard Smith, MD | Physician
    • How scales of justice saved a doctor-patient relationship

      Neil Baum, MD | Physician
    • Rediscovering the soul of medicine in the quiet of a Sunday morning

      Syed Ahmad Moosa, MD | Physician
    • An introduction to occupational and environmental medicine [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Does silence as a faculty retention strategy in academic medicine and health sciences work?

      Sylk Sotto, EdD, MPS, MBA | Conditions

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

View 1 Comments >

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • What’s driving medical students away from primary care?

      ​​Vineeth Amba, MPH, Archita Goyal, and Wayne Altman, MD | Education
    • How scales of justice saved a doctor-patient relationship

      Neil Baum, MD | Physician
    • Make cognitive testing as routine as a blood pressure check

      Joshua Baker and James Jackson, PsyD | Conditions
    • The dreaded question: Do you have boys or girls?

      Pamela Adelstein, MD | Physician
    • The broken health care system doesn’t have to break you

      Jessie Mahoney, MD | Physician
    • The hidden cost of delaying back surgery

      Gbolahan Okubadejo, MD | Conditions
  • Past 6 Months

    • What’s driving medical students away from primary care?

      ​​Vineeth Amba, MPH, Archita Goyal, and Wayne Altman, MD | Education
    • Internal Medicine 2025: inspiration at the annual meeting

      American College of Physicians | Physician
    • What happened to real care in health care?

      Christopher H. Foster, PhD, MPA | Policy
    • Residency as rehearsal: the new pediatric hospitalist fellowship requirement scam

      Anonymous | Physician
    • Are quotas a solution to physician shortages?

      Jacob Murphy | Education
    • A faster path to becoming a doctor is possible—here’s how

      Ankit Jain | Education
  • Recent Posts

    • Addressing America’s reliance on psychotropic medication [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • The hidden cost of malpractice: Why doctors are losing control

      Howard Smith, MD | Physician
    • How scales of justice saved a doctor-patient relationship

      Neil Baum, MD | Physician
    • Rediscovering the soul of medicine in the quiet of a Sunday morning

      Syed Ahmad Moosa, MD | Physician
    • An introduction to occupational and environmental medicine [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Does silence as a faculty retention strategy in academic medicine and health sciences work?

      Sylk Sotto, EdD, MPS, MBA | Conditions

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

Awakening the dormant elements of humanity
1 comments

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...