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Thank you to Dr. Patriquin for your lovely article "Lost and Found" which resonated deeply with me and took me back to first year medical school in 1981 when a bunch of us "keeners" attended Dr. Alan Gilbert's evening rounds at the Royal Alex Hospital in Edmonton.
A patient, just admitted with diverticulitis, clearly in severe discomfort, prompted Dr. Gilbert to tell the medical resident, "at the very least, we must relieve pain"...This stuck in my brain and led me to join Kingston's first ever palliative care team in 1987. From there chronic pain management became, and remains my passion.
But Dr. Patriquin has taken the dialogue one step further and pointed out the crucial role of FP's in addressing spiritual suffering. Taking the time to listen empathetically to her patient's life struggles was a balm that eased her path towards meaning and acceptance.
We family MD's are fortunate to know that hearing our pain patients' stories with kindness and warmth likely provides more pain relief than any number of drugs we prescribe.
Ruth Dubin
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Ruth E. Dubin, MD PhD CCFP FCFP D.A.A.P.M. D.C.A.P.M
Associate professor (adjunct), Queens University Dept of Family Medicine and Northern Ontario School of Medicine.
Past Chair, CFPC Chronic Pain Committee
Co-Chair Project ECHO Ontario chronic pain: www.EchoOntario.ca
Co-Chair Can...Competing Interests: None declared.