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I remain in awe of you, my patient-
In spite of your voices telling you
To stay away, you return to this clinic
Often.
You pace
In the crowded waiting room.
It is not the pace
Of a lithe great cat
Nor of emotional anxiety.
(Though certainly you have shared
Your fears with me.)
It is like the back and forth discomfort
Of a child having to wait for the bathroom-
We both know, however it is
The restlessness from side-effects of medication
Supposedly meant to help;
Which I prescribe, and you willingly take
Because you trust me.
What have I done to earn this trust?
I remain in awe of you, my patient-
You awoke early, rode three buses
To get here,
Not yet having eaten.
(I complained this morning because
After a hearty breakfast, I had to
Scrape the ice off my car
Before driving to work.)
Somehow, you feel the effort
To return to this “treatment”
Is worth it.
I remain in awe of you, my patient-
I will try to better understand you.
I will try to do you more good than harm
And I will be here.
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McLean, A.J. I Remain in Awe of You, My Patient. Acad Psychiatry 40, 963 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40596-016-0547-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40596-016-0547-6