CHRISTIAN, who lives in an African country, was abducted by soldiers who tried to force him to join the army, but he refused to comply because of his Bible-trained conscience. The soldiers then took him to a military camp where, after he was beaten for four days, one of them shot him in the leg. Christian managed to get to a hospital, but his leg had to be amputated below the knee. In another African country, even little children have had limbs cut off by armed rebels. And from Cambodia to the Balkans, from Afghanistan to Angola, land mines continue to mutilate and disable young and old indiscriminately.
Also taking a toll are accidents and disease, such as diabetes. Even toxins in the environment can lead to disability. In adjacent neighborhoods in an Eastern European city, for instance, a number of children have been born without one of their forearms. They have only a short stump below the elbow. Evidence points to genetic damage caused by chemical pollution. Countless other people still have all their limbs but are disabled nonetheless because of paralysis or some other affliction. Indeed, disabilities know no boundary.
Whatever the cause, disabilities can be devastating. Junior lost his lower left leg at the age of 20. He later said: "I had many emotional difficulties. I cried a lot over the fact that I would never again have my leg. I did not know what to do. I was confused." In time, however, Junior's attitude changed markedly. He began to study the Bible and learned things that not only have helped him to cope but also have given him a wonderful hope of a happy future right here on earth. If you are disabled, would you like to share that hope?
If so, then please read the following article. We recommend that you look up the Scripture references in your own Bible so that you can see for yourself what the Creator has in store for those who learn about his purpose and attune their lives to it.
Appeared in The Watchtower May 1, 2002
Copyright © 2006 Watch Tower Bible and
Sunday, May 3, 2009
How Disabilities Will End
IMAGINE the eyes of the blind seeing, the ears of the deaf hearing every sound, the tongue of the speechless singing out with joy, and the feet of the lame being firm and able to walk about! We are talking, not about breakthroughs in medical science, but about the results of God's own intervention in behalf of mankind. The Bible foretells: "At that time the eyes of the blind ones will be opened, and the very ears of the deaf ones will be unstopped. At that time the lame one will climb up just as a stag does, and the tongue of the speechless one will cry out in gladness." (Isaiah 35:5, 6) But how can we be sure that this truly amazing prophecy will be realized?
To begin with, when Jesus Christ was on earth, he actually did cure people of all forms of disease and disabilities. Furthermore, most of his miracles were seen by many witnesses—even by his enemies. In fact, in at least one instance, skeptical opposers thoroughly investigated a healing in order to discredit Jesus. But much to their chagrin, all they did was confirm his miracle. (John 9:1, 5-34) After Jesus performed yet another undeniable miracle, they said in frustration: "What are we to do, because this man performs many signs?" (John 11:47) The common people, however, were not as insensitive, for many began to put faith in Jesus.—John 2:23; 10:41, 42; 12:9-11.
Jesus' Miracles—A Preview of Global Healing
Jesus' miracles did more than prove that Jesus was the Messiah and the Son of God. They furnished a basis for faith in the Bible's promises that obedient mankind will be cured in the future. These promises include the prophecy in Isaiah chapter 35, mentioned in the opening paragraph. Isaiah 33:24 states concerning the future health of God-fearing humans: "No resident will say: 'I am sick.'" Similarly, Revelation 21:4 promises: "[God] will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things [today's trials and suffering] have passed away."
People regularly pray for the fulfillment of these prophecies when they repeat Jesus' model prayer, which says in part: "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." (Matthew 6:10, King James Version) Yes, God's will includes the earth and humankind. Disease and disabilities, although permitted for a reason, will soon have had their day; they will not blight God's "footstool" forever.—Isaiah 66:1.*
Healed Without Pain or Cost
No matter what affliction people suffered, Jesus cured them painlessly, without delay, and without cost. Inevitably, word of this spread like wildfire, and soon "great crowds approached him, having along with them people that were lame, maimed, blind, dumb, and many otherwise, and they fairly threw them at his feet, and he cured them." How did the people respond? Matthew's eyewitness account continues: "The crowd felt amazement as they saw the dumb speaking and the lame walking and the blind seeing, and they glorified the God of Israel."—Matthew 15:30, 31.
Note that those who were cured by Jesus were not carefully singled out from the crowd—a trick employed by charlatans. Rather, the many relatives and friends of the ailing ones "fairly threw them at [Jesus'] feet, and he cured them." Let us now review some specific examples of Jesus' ability to heal.
Blindness: While in Jerusalem, Jesus gave sight to a man who had been "blind from birth." This man was well-known in the city as a blind beggar. So you can imagine the excitement and hubbub when people saw him walking about seeing! Yet, not all were happy. Stung by Jesus' earlier exposure of their wickedness, some members of a prominent and influential Jewish sect called the Pharisees were desperate to find evidence of trickery on Jesus' part. (John 8:13, 42-44; 9:1, 6-31) Hence, they interrogated the healed man, then his parents, and then the man again. But the Pharisees' inquiries merely confirmed Jesus' miracle, which angered them. Puzzled by the perversity of these religious hypocrites, the healed man himself said: "From of old it has never been heard that anyone opened the eyes of one born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing at all." (John 9:32, 33) For that honest and intelligent expression of faith, the Pharisees "threw him out," which implies that they expelled the once-blind man from the synagogue.—John 9:22, 34.
Deafness: While Jesus was in the Decapolis, a region east of the Jordan River, "the people there brought him a man deaf and with a speech impediment." (Mark 7:31, 32) Not only did Jesus heal this person but he also revealed deep insight into the feelings of the deaf, who may be embarrassed in crowds. The Bible tells us that Jesus took the deaf man "away from the crowd privately" and healed him. Again, eyewitnesses were "astounded in a most extraordinary way," saying: "He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the speechless speak."—Mark 7:33-37.
Paralysis: While Jesus was in Capernaum, people approached him with a paralyzed man lying on a bed. (Matthew 9:2) Verses 6 to 8 describe what happened. "[Jesus] said to the paralytic: 'Get up, pick up your bed, and go to your home.' And he got up and went off to his home. At the sight of this the crowds were struck with fear, and they glorified God, who gave such authority to men." This miracle too was performed in the presence of both Jesus' disciples and his enemies. Observe that the former, not blinded by hatred and prejudice, "glorified God" for what they witnessed.
Disease: "There also came to [Jesus] a leper, entreating him even on bended knee, saying to him: 'If you just want to, you can make me clean.' At that he was moved with pity, and he stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him: 'I want to. Be made clean.' And immediately the leprosy vanished from him." (Mark 1:40-42) Note that Jesus did not heal this person begrudgingly but out of genuine compassion. Imagine that you were a leper. How would you feel if you were cured instantly and painlessly of a dreaded illness that progressively had disfigured your body and made you an outcast from society? No doubt you can understand why another leper who was miraculously cured "fell upon his face at Jesus' feet, thanking him."—Luke 17:12-16.
Injury: Jesus' last miracle before he was taken into custody and impaled was an act of healing. In a rash move against those who were about to take Jesus away, the apostle Peter, "as he had a sword, drew it and struck the slave of the high priest and cut his right ear off." (John 18:3-5, 10) The parallel account in Luke tells us that Jesus "touched the ear and healed him." (Luke 22:50, 51) Again, this humane gesture was performed within sight of Jesus' friends as well as his enemies—in this instance, his captors.
Yes, the closer we examine Jesus' miracles, the more we discern the distinguishing marks of authenticity. (2 Timothy 3:16) And as mentioned earlier, such study should strengthen our faith in God's promise to heal obedient humans. The Bible defines Christian faith as "the assured expectation of things hoped for, the evident demonstration of realities though not beheld." (Hebrews 11:1) Clearly, God encourages, not blind credulity or wishful thinking, but solid faith built on evidence. (1 John 4:1) As we acquire such faith, we find ourselves becoming spiritually stronger, healthier, and happier.—Matthew 5:3; Romans 10:17.
Spiritual Healing Must Come First!
Many physically healthy people are unhappy. Some even attempt suicide because they have no hope for the future or because they feel overwhelmed with problems. They are, in effect, spiritually disabled—a far more serious condition in God's eyes than a physical disability. (John 9:41) On the other hand, many who are physically disabled, like Christian and Junior mentioned in the preceding article, live happy, fulfilling lives. Why? Because they are spiritually sound and are energized with a sure hope based on the Bible.
Referring to our unique need as humans, Jesus said: "Man must live, not on bread alone, but on every utterance coming forth through Jehovah's mouth." (Matthew 4:4) Yes, unlike the animal creation, humans need more than material sustenance. Created in God's "image," we need spiritual food—the knowledge of God and how we fit into his purpose as well as the doing of his will. (Genesis 1:27; John 4:34) Knowledge of God infuses our lives with meaning and spiritual vigor. It also lays the basis for eternal life in a paradise earth. "This means everlasting life," Jesus said, "their taking in knowledge of you, the only true God, and of the one whom you sent forth, Jesus Christ."—John 17:3.
It is noteworthy that Jesus' contemporaries did not address him as "Healer" but as "Teacher." (Luke 3:12; 7:40) Why? Because Jesus taught people about the permanent solution to mankind's problems—God's Kingdom. (Luke 4:43; John 6:26, 27) This heavenly government in the hands of Jesus Christ will rule the entire earth and fulfill all the Biblical promises concerning the complete and lasting rehabilitation of righteous humans and their earthly home. (Revelation 11:15) That is why Jesus, in his model prayer, tied the coming of the Kingdom to God's will being done on earth.—Matthew 6:10.
For many disabled individuals, learning about this inspiring hope has caused their tears of sadness to change into tears of joy. (Luke 6:21) In fact, God will do even more than eliminate sickness and disability; he will obliterate the very cause of human suffering—sin itself. Indeed, Isaiah 33:24 and Matthew 9:2-7, quoted earlier, link sickness to our sinful condition. (Romans 5:12) Hence, with sin vanquished, mankind will at last enjoy "the glorious freedom of the children of God," a freedom that includes perfection of mind and body.—Romans 8:21.
Those who enjoy reasonably good health can easily take their situation for granted. But not so with those who suffer the trauma of disabilities. They know just how precious health and life are and how suddenly and unexpectedly things can change. (Ecclesiastes 9:11) Hence, it is our hope that the disabled among our readers will give special consideration to God's wonderful promises as recorded in the Bible. Jesus gave his life in order to ensure their fulfillment. What better guarantee could we have?—Matthew 8:16, 17; John 3:16.
Appeared in The Watchtower May 1, 2002
Copyright © 2006 Watch Tower Bible
To begin with, when Jesus Christ was on earth, he actually did cure people of all forms of disease and disabilities. Furthermore, most of his miracles were seen by many witnesses—even by his enemies. In fact, in at least one instance, skeptical opposers thoroughly investigated a healing in order to discredit Jesus. But much to their chagrin, all they did was confirm his miracle. (John 9:1, 5-34) After Jesus performed yet another undeniable miracle, they said in frustration: "What are we to do, because this man performs many signs?" (John 11:47) The common people, however, were not as insensitive, for many began to put faith in Jesus.—John 2:23; 10:41, 42; 12:9-11.
Jesus' Miracles—A Preview of Global Healing
Jesus' miracles did more than prove that Jesus was the Messiah and the Son of God. They furnished a basis for faith in the Bible's promises that obedient mankind will be cured in the future. These promises include the prophecy in Isaiah chapter 35, mentioned in the opening paragraph. Isaiah 33:24 states concerning the future health of God-fearing humans: "No resident will say: 'I am sick.'" Similarly, Revelation 21:4 promises: "[God] will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things [today's trials and suffering] have passed away."
People regularly pray for the fulfillment of these prophecies when they repeat Jesus' model prayer, which says in part: "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." (Matthew 6:10, King James Version) Yes, God's will includes the earth and humankind. Disease and disabilities, although permitted for a reason, will soon have had their day; they will not blight God's "footstool" forever.—Isaiah 66:1.*
Healed Without Pain or Cost
No matter what affliction people suffered, Jesus cured them painlessly, without delay, and without cost. Inevitably, word of this spread like wildfire, and soon "great crowds approached him, having along with them people that were lame, maimed, blind, dumb, and many otherwise, and they fairly threw them at his feet, and he cured them." How did the people respond? Matthew's eyewitness account continues: "The crowd felt amazement as they saw the dumb speaking and the lame walking and the blind seeing, and they glorified the God of Israel."—Matthew 15:30, 31.
Note that those who were cured by Jesus were not carefully singled out from the crowd—a trick employed by charlatans. Rather, the many relatives and friends of the ailing ones "fairly threw them at [Jesus'] feet, and he cured them." Let us now review some specific examples of Jesus' ability to heal.
Blindness: While in Jerusalem, Jesus gave sight to a man who had been "blind from birth." This man was well-known in the city as a blind beggar. So you can imagine the excitement and hubbub when people saw him walking about seeing! Yet, not all were happy. Stung by Jesus' earlier exposure of their wickedness, some members of a prominent and influential Jewish sect called the Pharisees were desperate to find evidence of trickery on Jesus' part. (John 8:13, 42-44; 9:1, 6-31) Hence, they interrogated the healed man, then his parents, and then the man again. But the Pharisees' inquiries merely confirmed Jesus' miracle, which angered them. Puzzled by the perversity of these religious hypocrites, the healed man himself said: "From of old it has never been heard that anyone opened the eyes of one born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing at all." (John 9:32, 33) For that honest and intelligent expression of faith, the Pharisees "threw him out," which implies that they expelled the once-blind man from the synagogue.—John 9:22, 34.
Deafness: While Jesus was in the Decapolis, a region east of the Jordan River, "the people there brought him a man deaf and with a speech impediment." (Mark 7:31, 32) Not only did Jesus heal this person but he also revealed deep insight into the feelings of the deaf, who may be embarrassed in crowds. The Bible tells us that Jesus took the deaf man "away from the crowd privately" and healed him. Again, eyewitnesses were "astounded in a most extraordinary way," saying: "He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the speechless speak."—Mark 7:33-37.
Paralysis: While Jesus was in Capernaum, people approached him with a paralyzed man lying on a bed. (Matthew 9:2) Verses 6 to 8 describe what happened. "[Jesus] said to the paralytic: 'Get up, pick up your bed, and go to your home.' And he got up and went off to his home. At the sight of this the crowds were struck with fear, and they glorified God, who gave such authority to men." This miracle too was performed in the presence of both Jesus' disciples and his enemies. Observe that the former, not blinded by hatred and prejudice, "glorified God" for what they witnessed.
Disease: "There also came to [Jesus] a leper, entreating him even on bended knee, saying to him: 'If you just want to, you can make me clean.' At that he was moved with pity, and he stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him: 'I want to. Be made clean.' And immediately the leprosy vanished from him." (Mark 1:40-42) Note that Jesus did not heal this person begrudgingly but out of genuine compassion. Imagine that you were a leper. How would you feel if you were cured instantly and painlessly of a dreaded illness that progressively had disfigured your body and made you an outcast from society? No doubt you can understand why another leper who was miraculously cured "fell upon his face at Jesus' feet, thanking him."—Luke 17:12-16.
Injury: Jesus' last miracle before he was taken into custody and impaled was an act of healing. In a rash move against those who were about to take Jesus away, the apostle Peter, "as he had a sword, drew it and struck the slave of the high priest and cut his right ear off." (John 18:3-5, 10) The parallel account in Luke tells us that Jesus "touched the ear and healed him." (Luke 22:50, 51) Again, this humane gesture was performed within sight of Jesus' friends as well as his enemies—in this instance, his captors.
Yes, the closer we examine Jesus' miracles, the more we discern the distinguishing marks of authenticity. (2 Timothy 3:16) And as mentioned earlier, such study should strengthen our faith in God's promise to heal obedient humans. The Bible defines Christian faith as "the assured expectation of things hoped for, the evident demonstration of realities though not beheld." (Hebrews 11:1) Clearly, God encourages, not blind credulity or wishful thinking, but solid faith built on evidence. (1 John 4:1) As we acquire such faith, we find ourselves becoming spiritually stronger, healthier, and happier.—Matthew 5:3; Romans 10:17.
Spiritual Healing Must Come First!
Many physically healthy people are unhappy. Some even attempt suicide because they have no hope for the future or because they feel overwhelmed with problems. They are, in effect, spiritually disabled—a far more serious condition in God's eyes than a physical disability. (John 9:41) On the other hand, many who are physically disabled, like Christian and Junior mentioned in the preceding article, live happy, fulfilling lives. Why? Because they are spiritually sound and are energized with a sure hope based on the Bible.
Referring to our unique need as humans, Jesus said: "Man must live, not on bread alone, but on every utterance coming forth through Jehovah's mouth." (Matthew 4:4) Yes, unlike the animal creation, humans need more than material sustenance. Created in God's "image," we need spiritual food—the knowledge of God and how we fit into his purpose as well as the doing of his will. (Genesis 1:27; John 4:34) Knowledge of God infuses our lives with meaning and spiritual vigor. It also lays the basis for eternal life in a paradise earth. "This means everlasting life," Jesus said, "their taking in knowledge of you, the only true God, and of the one whom you sent forth, Jesus Christ."—John 17:3.
It is noteworthy that Jesus' contemporaries did not address him as "Healer" but as "Teacher." (Luke 3:12; 7:40) Why? Because Jesus taught people about the permanent solution to mankind's problems—God's Kingdom. (Luke 4:43; John 6:26, 27) This heavenly government in the hands of Jesus Christ will rule the entire earth and fulfill all the Biblical promises concerning the complete and lasting rehabilitation of righteous humans and their earthly home. (Revelation 11:15) That is why Jesus, in his model prayer, tied the coming of the Kingdom to God's will being done on earth.—Matthew 6:10.
For many disabled individuals, learning about this inspiring hope has caused their tears of sadness to change into tears of joy. (Luke 6:21) In fact, God will do even more than eliminate sickness and disability; he will obliterate the very cause of human suffering—sin itself. Indeed, Isaiah 33:24 and Matthew 9:2-7, quoted earlier, link sickness to our sinful condition. (Romans 5:12) Hence, with sin vanquished, mankind will at last enjoy "the glorious freedom of the children of God," a freedom that includes perfection of mind and body.—Romans 8:21.
Those who enjoy reasonably good health can easily take their situation for granted. But not so with those who suffer the trauma of disabilities. They know just how precious health and life are and how suddenly and unexpectedly things can change. (Ecclesiastes 9:11) Hence, it is our hope that the disabled among our readers will give special consideration to God's wonderful promises as recorded in the Bible. Jesus gave his life in order to ensure their fulfillment. What better guarantee could we have?—Matthew 8:16, 17; John 3:16.
Appeared in The Watchtower May 1, 2002
Copyright © 2006 Watch Tower Bible
Soon an End to Disabilities!
Disabilities Know No Boundary
CHRISTIAN, who lives in an African country, was abducted by soldiers who tried to force him to join the army, but he refused to comply because of his Bible-trained conscience. The soldiers then took him to a military camp where, after he was beaten for four days, one of them shot him in the leg. Christian managed to get to a hospital, but his leg had to be amputated below the knee. In another African country, even little children have had limbs cut off by armed rebels. And from Cambodia to the Balkans, from Afghanistan to Angola, land mines continue to mutilate and disable young and old indiscriminately.
Also taking a toll are accidents and disease, such as diabetes. Even toxins in the environment can lead to disability. In adjacent neighborhoods in an Eastern European city, for instance, a number of children have been born without one of their forearms. They have only a short stump below the elbow. Evidence points to genetic damage caused by chemical pollution. Countless other people still have all their limbs but are disabled nonetheless because of paralysis or some other affliction. Indeed, disabilities know no boundary.
Whatever the cause, disabilities can be devastating. Junior lost his lower left leg at the age of 20. He later said: "I had many emotional difficulties. I cried a lot over the fact that I would never again have my leg. I did not know what to do. I was confused." In time, however, Junior's attitude changed markedly. He began to study the Bible and learned things that not only have helped him to cope but also have given him a wonderful hope of a happy future right here on earth. If you are disabled, would you like to share that hope?
If so, then please read the following article. We recommend that you look up the Scripture references in your own Bible so that you can see for yourself what the Creator has in store for those who learn about his purpose and attune their lives to it.
Appeared in The Watchtower May 1, 2002
Copyright © 2006 Watch Tower Bible
CHRISTIAN, who lives in an African country, was abducted by soldiers who tried to force him to join the army, but he refused to comply because of his Bible-trained conscience. The soldiers then took him to a military camp where, after he was beaten for four days, one of them shot him in the leg. Christian managed to get to a hospital, but his leg had to be amputated below the knee. In another African country, even little children have had limbs cut off by armed rebels. And from Cambodia to the Balkans, from Afghanistan to Angola, land mines continue to mutilate and disable young and old indiscriminately.
Also taking a toll are accidents and disease, such as diabetes. Even toxins in the environment can lead to disability. In adjacent neighborhoods in an Eastern European city, for instance, a number of children have been born without one of their forearms. They have only a short stump below the elbow. Evidence points to genetic damage caused by chemical pollution. Countless other people still have all their limbs but are disabled nonetheless because of paralysis or some other affliction. Indeed, disabilities know no boundary.
Whatever the cause, disabilities can be devastating. Junior lost his lower left leg at the age of 20. He later said: "I had many emotional difficulties. I cried a lot over the fact that I would never again have my leg. I did not know what to do. I was confused." In time, however, Junior's attitude changed markedly. He began to study the Bible and learned things that not only have helped him to cope but also have given him a wonderful hope of a happy future right here on earth. If you are disabled, would you like to share that hope?
If so, then please read the following article. We recommend that you look up the Scripture references in your own Bible so that you can see for yourself what the Creator has in store for those who learn about his purpose and attune their lives to it.
Appeared in The Watchtower May 1, 2002
Copyright © 2006 Watch Tower Bible
What Future for the Practice of Medicine?
ASKING about the future for physicians often leads to speculation over advances in technology and the question of whether these will free physicians of routine tasks so they can spend more time with patients as individuals. The future for physicians, of course, is bound up with the wider question of the future for mankind. Two Bible books that shed light on that future relate the history of Jesus and his apostles. Both were written by a physician.
Why is it of particular interest to have a physician’s viewpoint in those histories? What do they have to do with the future for physicians and for patients? Why do some physicians look forward to a time when their profession will not be needed?
Many physicians are careful observers. Luke, called “the beloved physician,” was the writer of the two Bible books, and he gave detailed descriptions of some of the sick people whom Jesus and also the apostles cured. (Colossians 4:14) Luke thus helps us to consider the questions: Did these things really happen? And if so, what does this imply for doctors and patients today?
Medical Evidence Examined
Luke had opportunity to verify the miraculous nature of those cures by interviewing eyewitnesses. In addition, he traveled extensively with the apostle Paul. Apparently, Paul healed a number of people while Luke was present. As we consider the physician’s accounts of two such cures, notice how much detail he included.
Luke gives the time, date, and place of the following event: It was midnight on the first day of the week, and a group of Christians were in a third-story room in Troas, in the Roman province of Asia. (Acts 20:4-8) We read the details: “A certain young man named Eutychus fell into a deep sleep while Paul kept talking on, and, collapsing in sleep, he fell down from the third story and was picked up dead.” Then with God’s power, Paul cured the young man’s injuries and restored him to life. After a meal, “they took the boy away alive and were comforted beyond measure.”—Acts 20:9-12.
The physician and Bible writer Luke was Paul’s traveling companion when the apostle cured the father of Publius and resurrected Eutychus
Luke reports that he was also with Paul in Malta. They were being entertained hospitably by Publius, “the principal man” of the island, when Paul performed another miracle. It involved a man whose condition, in those days before modern antibiotics, may well have been life threatening. Luke relates: “The father of Publius was lying down distressed with fever and dysentery, and Paul went in to him and prayed, laid his hands upon him and healed him. After this occurred, the rest of the people on the island who had sicknesses also began to come to him and be cured.”—Acts 28:7-9.
What Convinced the Physician?
Luke wrote those accounts in the book of Acts while his readers could still verify the facts by talking to the people involved. Concerning what he recorded in the Bible book that bears his name, Luke wrote: “I have traced all things from the start with accuracy . . . that you may know fully the certainty of the things.” (Luke 1:3, 4) What this physician saw and researched convinced him that Jesus’ teachings were true. The miraculous cures were part of those teachings, giving a basis for belief in the Bible prophecy that disease will eventually be conquered by God. (Isaiah 35:5, 6) As a medical practitioner accustomed to dealing with suffering, Luke must have found it especially heartwarming to contemplate a time when his profession would no longer be needed. Do you find such a prospect appealing?
Interestingly, this is what the future holds for those who love God, no matter where they live on earth. The Bible promises that under God’s Kingdom, “no resident will say: ‘I am sick.’” (Isaiah 33:24) Many modern-day physicians have concluded that there is a logical basis for believing the Bible’s promises.
Dr. Jon Schiller,United States
‘It Was Very Appealing to Me’
“Like most people, I went into medicine to help people who are suffering from disease,” says Dr. Jon Schiller, a family practitioner in North America. “The hope of a world without disease was very appealing to me. I started attending the meetings of Jehovah’s Witnesses after I had taken a college course on the history of Western civilization. That course showed that religions were at the bottom of a lot of problems, and it seemed to me that they were also hypocritical in their treatment of the Bible. So I wondered, ‘What does the Bible really say?’
“At the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, I was initially attracted by the friendly people, who were a pleasant contrast to many of my acquaintances. A Witness approached me and offered to visit me to discuss the Bible. What impressed me was that no matter what I asked, he showed me the answer in the Bible.
“The older I get, the more I appreciate being one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. When you start out as a young doctor, you have hope of achieving something worthwhile. But I often see disillusioned people who feel that they haven’t really accomplished much. I think that one of the greatest things about being one of Jehovah’s Witnesses is that we have a hope for the future and a purpose in life. Whether we are doctors, mechanics, or janitors, we know that what we are doing in our service to God is something worthwhile; we are doing something for Jehovah. And that gives us satisfaction.”
‘EVEN ROUTINE CASES CAN BRING SATISFACTION’
Dr. Marco Villegas works in an isolated Amazonian town in Bolivia
“The gulf between medical practice here and in more developed regions is huge. Here, learning a profession is viewed as a way to escape poverty, and so studying medicine is popular. But there are many doctors and few jobs. As a result, doctors are paid very little. Few people can afford to see a doctor as a private, paying patient. I work in an obsolete hospital with a leaking roof and only the most basic equipment. Our staff consists of two doctors and five nursing assistants. We serve 14,000 people.
“Sometimes patients think I don’t examine them adequately, but when you have 25 patients waiting, you can’t afford lengthy consultations. Still, treating patients brings me satisfaction, even routine cases. For example, mothers often bring in their undernourished, dehydrated children who have diarrhea. They have lackluster eyes and anxious faces. I just have to tell the mother how to use rehydration salts, parasite medicine, and antibiotics. Once these take effect, the child starts eating again. A week later he or she looks like a different child—bright-eyed, smiling, and playful. The prospect of enjoying such experiences made me want to be a doctor.
“Beginning in childhood, I dreamed of relieving sick people. But medical training changed me in a way that I did not expect. I saw people die for lack of even the small amounts of money they needed for lifesaving treatment. I had to make myself unfeeling so as not to be affected by the sadness. Only when the cause of suffering was shown to me in the Bible did I understand God’s compassion and regain my ability to feel for others. I was then able to cry again.”
Dr. Krister Renvall,Finland
“Applying Bible Principles Improved Our Family”
Dr. Krister Renvall is a doctor in Finland, and he always enjoys talking with children. “One day I spoke with a 12-year-old girl who had terminal cancer,” he says. “She gave me a book called True Peace and Security—From What Source?* Her expressions of faith during her terminal illness impressed me, but I didn’t find time to read the book. In fact, at the time, I was so busy working at a clinic in Helsinki that it was adversely affecting my family.
“Some time later, however, my wife took the book down from the shelf and began reading it. She was immediately convinced that what she was reading was the truth. One of Jehovah’s Witnesses called on her and began studying the Bible with her. At first my wife was a little afraid to tell me about it. But when she told me, I said, ‘Anything that will help our family is good.’ I began taking part in the study. Applying Bible principles improved our family and gave us a new outlook on life. I was delighted to learn about the hope of a world without sickness; it seemed natural that God would have such a purpose for mankind. Soon my wife and I, and finally all of the family, were baptized. That little girl who first spoke to me died, but in effect, her faith lives on.”
“I REALIZED THAT LIFE HAS A PURPOSE”
Helena Bouwhuis worked as a medical practitioner for schoolchildren in the Netherlands
“While working with handicapped schoolchildren, I noticed how parents who were Jehovah’s Witnesses stood out. They seemed better able to cope with having a handicapped child than other parents in the same situation. I also noticed that they were better educated than one would expect from the occupation they had. I admired their faith. My faith had been all but destroyed by teachers of the theory of evolution. Nevertheless, my medical studies had left me intrigued by the phenomenon of life.
“At that same time, I had begun to realize that I didn’t know how to raise my children. What should I forbid? What should I encourage? What could I give them as a purpose in life? My own life had become meaningless. I even prayed for help.
“That was when Jehovah’s Witnesses brought me a magazine about how to correct and reprove children with love. I found the Bible principles it explained to be really helpful, so I accepted their offer of a Bible study. As I learned why Jehovah created life and why Jesus died, I realized that life has a purpose. (John 3:16; Romans 5:12, 18, 19) Evolution had twisted my thinking. How relieved I was when I learned that disease and death were not part of God’s original purpose! Today I continue to find real satisfaction in teaching sincere people how God will soon cure all disease.”
Life is increasingly stressful for doctors in our rapidly changing world, making their sacrifices in aiding the sick praiseworthy indeed. But the biggest changes ever to affect mankind are soon to come upon us. Many physicians today confidently look forward to the future that God’s Word promises—a world free of disease! (Revelation 21:1-4) This is a subject worth researching personally.
* Published by Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Appeared in Awake! January 22, 2005
Copyright © 2009 Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania. All rights reserved.
Why is it of particular interest to have a physician’s viewpoint in those histories? What do they have to do with the future for physicians and for patients? Why do some physicians look forward to a time when their profession will not be needed?
Many physicians are careful observers. Luke, called “the beloved physician,” was the writer of the two Bible books, and he gave detailed descriptions of some of the sick people whom Jesus and also the apostles cured. (Colossians 4:14) Luke thus helps us to consider the questions: Did these things really happen? And if so, what does this imply for doctors and patients today?
Medical Evidence Examined
Luke had opportunity to verify the miraculous nature of those cures by interviewing eyewitnesses. In addition, he traveled extensively with the apostle Paul. Apparently, Paul healed a number of people while Luke was present. As we consider the physician’s accounts of two such cures, notice how much detail he included.
Luke gives the time, date, and place of the following event: It was midnight on the first day of the week, and a group of Christians were in a third-story room in Troas, in the Roman province of Asia. (Acts 20:4-8) We read the details: “A certain young man named Eutychus fell into a deep sleep while Paul kept talking on, and, collapsing in sleep, he fell down from the third story and was picked up dead.” Then with God’s power, Paul cured the young man’s injuries and restored him to life. After a meal, “they took the boy away alive and were comforted beyond measure.”—Acts 20:9-12.
The physician and Bible writer Luke was Paul’s traveling companion when the apostle cured the father of Publius and resurrected Eutychus
Luke reports that he was also with Paul in Malta. They were being entertained hospitably by Publius, “the principal man” of the island, when Paul performed another miracle. It involved a man whose condition, in those days before modern antibiotics, may well have been life threatening. Luke relates: “The father of Publius was lying down distressed with fever and dysentery, and Paul went in to him and prayed, laid his hands upon him and healed him. After this occurred, the rest of the people on the island who had sicknesses also began to come to him and be cured.”—Acts 28:7-9.
What Convinced the Physician?
Luke wrote those accounts in the book of Acts while his readers could still verify the facts by talking to the people involved. Concerning what he recorded in the Bible book that bears his name, Luke wrote: “I have traced all things from the start with accuracy . . . that you may know fully the certainty of the things.” (Luke 1:3, 4) What this physician saw and researched convinced him that Jesus’ teachings were true. The miraculous cures were part of those teachings, giving a basis for belief in the Bible prophecy that disease will eventually be conquered by God. (Isaiah 35:5, 6) As a medical practitioner accustomed to dealing with suffering, Luke must have found it especially heartwarming to contemplate a time when his profession would no longer be needed. Do you find such a prospect appealing?
Interestingly, this is what the future holds for those who love God, no matter where they live on earth. The Bible promises that under God’s Kingdom, “no resident will say: ‘I am sick.’” (Isaiah 33:24) Many modern-day physicians have concluded that there is a logical basis for believing the Bible’s promises.
Dr. Jon Schiller,United States
‘It Was Very Appealing to Me’
“Like most people, I went into medicine to help people who are suffering from disease,” says Dr. Jon Schiller, a family practitioner in North America. “The hope of a world without disease was very appealing to me. I started attending the meetings of Jehovah’s Witnesses after I had taken a college course on the history of Western civilization. That course showed that religions were at the bottom of a lot of problems, and it seemed to me that they were also hypocritical in their treatment of the Bible. So I wondered, ‘What does the Bible really say?’
“At the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, I was initially attracted by the friendly people, who were a pleasant contrast to many of my acquaintances. A Witness approached me and offered to visit me to discuss the Bible. What impressed me was that no matter what I asked, he showed me the answer in the Bible.
“The older I get, the more I appreciate being one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. When you start out as a young doctor, you have hope of achieving something worthwhile. But I often see disillusioned people who feel that they haven’t really accomplished much. I think that one of the greatest things about being one of Jehovah’s Witnesses is that we have a hope for the future and a purpose in life. Whether we are doctors, mechanics, or janitors, we know that what we are doing in our service to God is something worthwhile; we are doing something for Jehovah. And that gives us satisfaction.”
‘EVEN ROUTINE CASES CAN BRING SATISFACTION’
Dr. Marco Villegas works in an isolated Amazonian town in Bolivia
“The gulf between medical practice here and in more developed regions is huge. Here, learning a profession is viewed as a way to escape poverty, and so studying medicine is popular. But there are many doctors and few jobs. As a result, doctors are paid very little. Few people can afford to see a doctor as a private, paying patient. I work in an obsolete hospital with a leaking roof and only the most basic equipment. Our staff consists of two doctors and five nursing assistants. We serve 14,000 people.
“Sometimes patients think I don’t examine them adequately, but when you have 25 patients waiting, you can’t afford lengthy consultations. Still, treating patients brings me satisfaction, even routine cases. For example, mothers often bring in their undernourished, dehydrated children who have diarrhea. They have lackluster eyes and anxious faces. I just have to tell the mother how to use rehydration salts, parasite medicine, and antibiotics. Once these take effect, the child starts eating again. A week later he or she looks like a different child—bright-eyed, smiling, and playful. The prospect of enjoying such experiences made me want to be a doctor.
“Beginning in childhood, I dreamed of relieving sick people. But medical training changed me in a way that I did not expect. I saw people die for lack of even the small amounts of money they needed for lifesaving treatment. I had to make myself unfeeling so as not to be affected by the sadness. Only when the cause of suffering was shown to me in the Bible did I understand God’s compassion and regain my ability to feel for others. I was then able to cry again.”
Dr. Krister Renvall,Finland
“Applying Bible Principles Improved Our Family”
Dr. Krister Renvall is a doctor in Finland, and he always enjoys talking with children. “One day I spoke with a 12-year-old girl who had terminal cancer,” he says. “She gave me a book called True Peace and Security—From What Source?* Her expressions of faith during her terminal illness impressed me, but I didn’t find time to read the book. In fact, at the time, I was so busy working at a clinic in Helsinki that it was adversely affecting my family.
“Some time later, however, my wife took the book down from the shelf and began reading it. She was immediately convinced that what she was reading was the truth. One of Jehovah’s Witnesses called on her and began studying the Bible with her. At first my wife was a little afraid to tell me about it. But when she told me, I said, ‘Anything that will help our family is good.’ I began taking part in the study. Applying Bible principles improved our family and gave us a new outlook on life. I was delighted to learn about the hope of a world without sickness; it seemed natural that God would have such a purpose for mankind. Soon my wife and I, and finally all of the family, were baptized. That little girl who first spoke to me died, but in effect, her faith lives on.”
“I REALIZED THAT LIFE HAS A PURPOSE”
Helena Bouwhuis worked as a medical practitioner for schoolchildren in the Netherlands
“While working with handicapped schoolchildren, I noticed how parents who were Jehovah’s Witnesses stood out. They seemed better able to cope with having a handicapped child than other parents in the same situation. I also noticed that they were better educated than one would expect from the occupation they had. I admired their faith. My faith had been all but destroyed by teachers of the theory of evolution. Nevertheless, my medical studies had left me intrigued by the phenomenon of life.
“At that same time, I had begun to realize that I didn’t know how to raise my children. What should I forbid? What should I encourage? What could I give them as a purpose in life? My own life had become meaningless. I even prayed for help.
“That was when Jehovah’s Witnesses brought me a magazine about how to correct and reprove children with love. I found the Bible principles it explained to be really helpful, so I accepted their offer of a Bible study. As I learned why Jehovah created life and why Jesus died, I realized that life has a purpose. (John 3:16; Romans 5:12, 18, 19) Evolution had twisted my thinking. How relieved I was when I learned that disease and death were not part of God’s original purpose! Today I continue to find real satisfaction in teaching sincere people how God will soon cure all disease.”
Life is increasingly stressful for doctors in our rapidly changing world, making their sacrifices in aiding the sick praiseworthy indeed. But the biggest changes ever to affect mankind are soon to come upon us. Many physicians today confidently look forward to the future that God’s Word promises—a world free of disease! (Revelation 21:1-4) This is a subject worth researching personally.
* Published by Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Appeared in Awake! January 22, 2005
Copyright © 2009 Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania. All rights reserved.
Doctors Under Stress
“A young couple came to me full of hope that I could do something for their newborn baby. As I examined him, my heart sank. His condition was incurable. Can you imagine my feelings when I told these new parents that their son would never see? As I dismissed them from my office, I felt overwhelmed with emotion. But a moment later my next patient was upon me expecting a welcoming smile! That’s what I find stressful.”—An ophthalmic surgeon in South America.
PATIENTS don’t usually visit consulting rooms to consider their doctor’s problems. A patient’s mind is filled with his own need for help. Consequently, few people realize how much stress doctors live with.
Of course, everyone has to cope with stress, and the medical profession is not the only stressful occupation. However, since nearly everyone becomes involved in doctor-patient relationships in one way or another, understanding the stress doctors live with and the effects it can have on them is worthwhile.
Doctors start learning to live with stress early in life as they struggle for a place in medical school. But when medical training starts, it is usually an unforgettable jolt to the emotions. It is the beginning of a process that can change the medical student’s feelings, his very character.
Medical Training—A Shocking Experience
The traumatic first visit to the dissecting room can be as early as the first week of medical studies. Many students may not have seen a corpse before. The sight of naked, shriveled bodies in different stages of being cut open to reveal the anatomy can be quite repulsive. Students have to learn strategies to cope with their emotions. Often they resort to humor, giving each cadaver a funny name. What seems appallingly callous and disrespectful to an outsider is necessary to students who are trying not to think of the person that the body used to be.
Then comes clinical training in a hospital. Most people are not forced into contemplating life’s brevity until perhaps middle age. But medical students come face-to-face with incurable disease and death in their youth. One described his first experiences in the hospital as “disgusting to the point of revulsion.” It can also be quite shocking to students in both rich and poor countries when they first realize how often patients are denied needed treatment because there is not enough money.
How do newly qualified doctors cope with the stress? Medical staff often have to distance themselves emotionally from patients by depersonalizing them. Instead of referring to the person needing attention, the staff may say, “Doctor, there’s a broken leg in cubicle two.” This may sound comical if you don’t understand the reason for such a description.
Compassion Fatigue
Doctors are trained as scientists, but for many the greater part of their work consists of talking to patients. Some physicians feel unprepared for the emotion of doctor-patient relationships. As noted in the introduction, one of the most difficult situations for a doctor is breaking bad news. Some have to do it daily. People in crisis often need to give vent to their anguish, and physicians are expected to listen. Dealing with anxious, frightened people can be so tiring that some physicians suffer a type of burnout now called compassion fatigue.
Recalling his early years, a family practitioner in Canada wrote: “Work was flooding me: needy people wanting my time; distressed people wanting to off-load their distress; ill people needing my action; manipulative people pushing and pulling; people coming to see me; people pressing for me to go to them; people coming down the telephone wires into my own home—and even my bedroom. People, people, people. I wanted to be of use, but this was madness.”—A Doctor’s Dilemma, by John W. Holland.
Does the stress ease with the passing of years? Seniority usually brings more responsibility. Often life-and-death decisions have to be made instantly, perhaps on the basis of inadequate information. “When I was young, it didn’t worry me,” explains a British doctor, “just as it doesn’t worry youngsters to drive dangerously. But with age, you value life more dearly. Now, treatment decisions make me more anxious than ever.”
How does stress affect doctors? The habit of distancing oneself emotionally from patients can carry over into family relationships. Avoiding that tendency can be challenging. Some physicians are outstandingly compassionate in helping patients with their feelings. But how far can they go without suffering compassion fatigue? This is the doctor’s dilemma.
Coping With Difficult Patients
When asked about the stress of doctor-patient relationships, doctors often start by describing difficult patients. Perhaps you recognize some of the following types.
First, there is the patient who wastes the doctor’s time by rambling on without coming to the point and explaining what his problem is. Then, there is the demanding patient who calls the doctor at night or on weekends for nonemergencies or demands treatment the doctor would prefer not to recommend. Also there is the distrustful patient. Some people research useful information about their condition, perhaps by Internet, and this can be helpful. But such research may lead them to lose confidence in the medical expert they have come to consult. A doctor may not have time to debate the pros and cons of everything that such research turns up. It is frustrating for a doctor when distrust makes his patient incompliant. Finally, there is the impatient patient. He abandons the treatment before it has time to take effect, perhaps seeking advice elsewhere.
COOPERATING WITH YOUR DOCTOR
Make the most of your time with your doctor by preparing how you will explain your problem fully but concisely, starting with your foremost concern
Avoid calling your doctor at times outside of office hours for nonemergencies
Be patient. Proper diagnosis and treatment take time
In some parts of the world, however, the major source of stress for doctors is not the patient but the lawyer.
Defensive Medicine
Many countries report a surge in the number of malpractice suits against doctors. Some lawyers make frivolous claims to win riches. “They are sending medical liability insurance premiums soaring,” explained the president of the American Medical Association. “These lawsuits lead to other agonies as well. For a physician, a wrongful suit can cause great harm—embarrassment, loss of time, . . . stress and anxiety.” Some doctors have even been driven to suicide.
As a result, many physicians feel obligated to practice “defensive medicine,” making decisions based on the possible need to defend them in court rather than on what is best for the patient. “Practicing medicine from the position of covering one’s back is now a way of life,” said Physician’s News Digest.
As pressures on doctors continue to mount, many of them wonder what the future holds. Many patients have the same question, as they observe increased suffering from some diseases despite advances in medical science. The following article presents a realistic view of the future for both physicians and patients.
Appeared in Awake! January 22, 2005
PATIENTS don’t usually visit consulting rooms to consider their doctor’s problems. A patient’s mind is filled with his own need for help. Consequently, few people realize how much stress doctors live with.
Of course, everyone has to cope with stress, and the medical profession is not the only stressful occupation. However, since nearly everyone becomes involved in doctor-patient relationships in one way or another, understanding the stress doctors live with and the effects it can have on them is worthwhile.
Doctors start learning to live with stress early in life as they struggle for a place in medical school. But when medical training starts, it is usually an unforgettable jolt to the emotions. It is the beginning of a process that can change the medical student’s feelings, his very character.
Medical Training—A Shocking Experience
The traumatic first visit to the dissecting room can be as early as the first week of medical studies. Many students may not have seen a corpse before. The sight of naked, shriveled bodies in different stages of being cut open to reveal the anatomy can be quite repulsive. Students have to learn strategies to cope with their emotions. Often they resort to humor, giving each cadaver a funny name. What seems appallingly callous and disrespectful to an outsider is necessary to students who are trying not to think of the person that the body used to be.
Then comes clinical training in a hospital. Most people are not forced into contemplating life’s brevity until perhaps middle age. But medical students come face-to-face with incurable disease and death in their youth. One described his first experiences in the hospital as “disgusting to the point of revulsion.” It can also be quite shocking to students in both rich and poor countries when they first realize how often patients are denied needed treatment because there is not enough money.
How do newly qualified doctors cope with the stress? Medical staff often have to distance themselves emotionally from patients by depersonalizing them. Instead of referring to the person needing attention, the staff may say, “Doctor, there’s a broken leg in cubicle two.” This may sound comical if you don’t understand the reason for such a description.
Compassion Fatigue
Doctors are trained as scientists, but for many the greater part of their work consists of talking to patients. Some physicians feel unprepared for the emotion of doctor-patient relationships. As noted in the introduction, one of the most difficult situations for a doctor is breaking bad news. Some have to do it daily. People in crisis often need to give vent to their anguish, and physicians are expected to listen. Dealing with anxious, frightened people can be so tiring that some physicians suffer a type of burnout now called compassion fatigue.
Recalling his early years, a family practitioner in Canada wrote: “Work was flooding me: needy people wanting my time; distressed people wanting to off-load their distress; ill people needing my action; manipulative people pushing and pulling; people coming to see me; people pressing for me to go to them; people coming down the telephone wires into my own home—and even my bedroom. People, people, people. I wanted to be of use, but this was madness.”—A Doctor’s Dilemma, by John W. Holland.
Does the stress ease with the passing of years? Seniority usually brings more responsibility. Often life-and-death decisions have to be made instantly, perhaps on the basis of inadequate information. “When I was young, it didn’t worry me,” explains a British doctor, “just as it doesn’t worry youngsters to drive dangerously. But with age, you value life more dearly. Now, treatment decisions make me more anxious than ever.”
How does stress affect doctors? The habit of distancing oneself emotionally from patients can carry over into family relationships. Avoiding that tendency can be challenging. Some physicians are outstandingly compassionate in helping patients with their feelings. But how far can they go without suffering compassion fatigue? This is the doctor’s dilemma.
Coping With Difficult Patients
When asked about the stress of doctor-patient relationships, doctors often start by describing difficult patients. Perhaps you recognize some of the following types.
First, there is the patient who wastes the doctor’s time by rambling on without coming to the point and explaining what his problem is. Then, there is the demanding patient who calls the doctor at night or on weekends for nonemergencies or demands treatment the doctor would prefer not to recommend. Also there is the distrustful patient. Some people research useful information about their condition, perhaps by Internet, and this can be helpful. But such research may lead them to lose confidence in the medical expert they have come to consult. A doctor may not have time to debate the pros and cons of everything that such research turns up. It is frustrating for a doctor when distrust makes his patient incompliant. Finally, there is the impatient patient. He abandons the treatment before it has time to take effect, perhaps seeking advice elsewhere.
COOPERATING WITH YOUR DOCTOR
Make the most of your time with your doctor by preparing how you will explain your problem fully but concisely, starting with your foremost concern
Avoid calling your doctor at times outside of office hours for nonemergencies
Be patient. Proper diagnosis and treatment take time
In some parts of the world, however, the major source of stress for doctors is not the patient but the lawyer.
Defensive Medicine
Many countries report a surge in the number of malpractice suits against doctors. Some lawyers make frivolous claims to win riches. “They are sending medical liability insurance premiums soaring,” explained the president of the American Medical Association. “These lawsuits lead to other agonies as well. For a physician, a wrongful suit can cause great harm—embarrassment, loss of time, . . . stress and anxiety.” Some doctors have even been driven to suicide.
As a result, many physicians feel obligated to practice “defensive medicine,” making decisions based on the possible need to defend them in court rather than on what is best for the patient. “Practicing medicine from the position of covering one’s back is now a way of life,” said Physician’s News Digest.
As pressures on doctors continue to mount, many of them wonder what the future holds. Many patients have the same question, as they observe increased suffering from some diseases despite advances in medical science. The following article presents a realistic view of the future for both physicians and patients.
Appeared in Awake! January 22, 2005
Understanding Your doctor
Doctors in a Changing World
In 1174, Maimonides was appointed court physician to the rulers of Egypt and spent most of his days at the palace. Concerning his arrival home each day, he wrote: “I partake of some light refreshment, the only meal I eat in twenty-four hours. Then I go to attend to my patients and write prescriptions and directions for their ailments. Patients go in and out until nightfall, and sometimes . . . I am so exhausted I can hardly speak.”
BEING a doctor has always required self-sacrifice. But the world in which doctors practice today is rapidly changing. Their work schedule can still be just as exhausting as that of Maimonides. But are they respected as much as doctors used to be? How have new circumstances affected the doctor’s way of life? And how have recent developments changed the doctor-patient relationship?
A Changed Relationship
Some can still remember the time when a doctor could carry all his remedies in his black bag. There were mixed feelings about doctors in those days, just as there are now. Most were revered for their ability, respected for their rank, and admired for their ethics. At the same time, however, they could be criticized for their fees, berated for their failures, and denounced for their seeming lack of compassion.
Still, many doctors derived deep satisfaction from helping the same family for generations. They used to make numerous house calls, and in country areas they sometimes stayed for a meal or even spent the night when delivering a baby. Many doctors personally made up prescriptions of medicine for their patients. Unselfish physicians provided free treatment for those of little means and were available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Of course, some physicians still work that way, but in many places the nature of the doctor-patient relationship has probably changed more in the past few decades than it has in many centuries. How have these changes come about? Let us look first at the home visit.
In the past, doctors oftenmade house calls
What Happened to House Calls?
Visiting patients in their homes used to be the accepted way to practice medicine, and in some lands it still is. But worldwide the custom has been in decline. The Times of India said: “The family doctor with his reassuring bedside manner, intimate knowledge of the family and willingness to make house calls whenever required, is becoming an extinct species in an age of specialists and superspecialists.”
Because of the explosion of medical knowledge, many physicians have specialized and work as part of a group, with the result that patients may see a different doctor each time they are sick. Consequently, many doctors cannot enjoy the long-term relationship with families that they used to have.
The move away from visiting patients at home began a century ago, when doctors started to make greater use of laboratory analysis and diagnostic equipment. In many places health agencies came to see house visits as an inefficient way to use physicians’ time. Today most patients are able to get transportation to visit a doctor’s office. Also, auxiliary and emergency medical services now do work previously handled by doctors.
Changed Status
In today’s world fewer doctors are independent. Medical services are more often provided by government agencies or health-care companies that employ doctors. Many doctors, however, dislike having a third party in the doctor-patient relationship. Such agencies often require doctors to see more patients in less time. “I have to see a patient every seven to ten minutes,” says Dr. Sheila Perkins, a general practitioner in Britain. “And I have to spend much of that time entering information into the computer. There’s little time left to build a relationship with the patient. It can be very frustrating.”
The changing world in which doctors practice is one in which patients have gained more power. At one time the “doctor’s orders” were unchallengeable. But in many lands today, doctors are obliged to inform the patient about treatment options and possible outcomes so that the patient can give informed consent to the treatment. The balance of the doctor-patient relationship has changed. In the eyes of some, the doctor’s image has been reduced to that of a technician.
In our rapidly changing society, a large proportion of physicians are women. Female doctors are often more popular because they are seen as better listeners. So their influence on the profession seems to be to make it more compassionate.
Most people appreciate a doctor who understands patients’ feelings and the stress they live with. But it is reasonable to ask, How many patients understand their doctor’s feelings and the stress he lives with? Doing so could surely improve doctor-patient relationships. The following article may help.
Appeared in Awake! January 22, 2005
In 1174, Maimonides was appointed court physician to the rulers of Egypt and spent most of his days at the palace. Concerning his arrival home each day, he wrote: “I partake of some light refreshment, the only meal I eat in twenty-four hours. Then I go to attend to my patients and write prescriptions and directions for their ailments. Patients go in and out until nightfall, and sometimes . . . I am so exhausted I can hardly speak.”
BEING a doctor has always required self-sacrifice. But the world in which doctors practice today is rapidly changing. Their work schedule can still be just as exhausting as that of Maimonides. But are they respected as much as doctors used to be? How have new circumstances affected the doctor’s way of life? And how have recent developments changed the doctor-patient relationship?
A Changed Relationship
Some can still remember the time when a doctor could carry all his remedies in his black bag. There were mixed feelings about doctors in those days, just as there are now. Most were revered for their ability, respected for their rank, and admired for their ethics. At the same time, however, they could be criticized for their fees, berated for their failures, and denounced for their seeming lack of compassion.
Still, many doctors derived deep satisfaction from helping the same family for generations. They used to make numerous house calls, and in country areas they sometimes stayed for a meal or even spent the night when delivering a baby. Many doctors personally made up prescriptions of medicine for their patients. Unselfish physicians provided free treatment for those of little means and were available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Of course, some physicians still work that way, but in many places the nature of the doctor-patient relationship has probably changed more in the past few decades than it has in many centuries. How have these changes come about? Let us look first at the home visit.
In the past, doctors oftenmade house calls
What Happened to House Calls?
Visiting patients in their homes used to be the accepted way to practice medicine, and in some lands it still is. But worldwide the custom has been in decline. The Times of India said: “The family doctor with his reassuring bedside manner, intimate knowledge of the family and willingness to make house calls whenever required, is becoming an extinct species in an age of specialists and superspecialists.”
Because of the explosion of medical knowledge, many physicians have specialized and work as part of a group, with the result that patients may see a different doctor each time they are sick. Consequently, many doctors cannot enjoy the long-term relationship with families that they used to have.
The move away from visiting patients at home began a century ago, when doctors started to make greater use of laboratory analysis and diagnostic equipment. In many places health agencies came to see house visits as an inefficient way to use physicians’ time. Today most patients are able to get transportation to visit a doctor’s office. Also, auxiliary and emergency medical services now do work previously handled by doctors.
Changed Status
In today’s world fewer doctors are independent. Medical services are more often provided by government agencies or health-care companies that employ doctors. Many doctors, however, dislike having a third party in the doctor-patient relationship. Such agencies often require doctors to see more patients in less time. “I have to see a patient every seven to ten minutes,” says Dr. Sheila Perkins, a general practitioner in Britain. “And I have to spend much of that time entering information into the computer. There’s little time left to build a relationship with the patient. It can be very frustrating.”
The changing world in which doctors practice is one in which patients have gained more power. At one time the “doctor’s orders” were unchallengeable. But in many lands today, doctors are obliged to inform the patient about treatment options and possible outcomes so that the patient can give informed consent to the treatment. The balance of the doctor-patient relationship has changed. In the eyes of some, the doctor’s image has been reduced to that of a technician.
In our rapidly changing society, a large proportion of physicians are women. Female doctors are often more popular because they are seen as better listeners. So their influence on the profession seems to be to make it more compassionate.
Most people appreciate a doctor who understands patients’ feelings and the stress they live with. But it is reasonable to ask, How many patients understand their doctor’s feelings and the stress he lives with? Doing so could surely improve doctor-patient relationships. The following article may help.
Appeared in Awake! January 22, 2005
Comforting the Terminally Ill
Comfortingthe Terminally Ill
“When I first learned that Mother’s condition was terminal, I just couldn’t believe it. I was in a state of shock, unable to accept that my dear mom was going to die.”—Grace, Canada.
WHEN a loved one is diagnosed with a terminal illness, both family and friends are deeply distressed and may not know how to react. Some may wonder if they should tell the patient the whole truth about his or her condition. Others doubt that they will be able to cope with seeing the one they love suffer and perhaps lose dignity because of the effects of the disease. Many worry that they will not know what to say or do during the patient’s final hours.
What do you need to know about the way you might react to such bad news? And how can you be “a true companion” and provide comfort and support during this distressing time?—Proverbs 17:17.
A Natural Reaction
It is only natural to be distressed when a loved one is struck by serious illness. Even doctors, despite regularly dealing with death, often feel troubled—even powerless—when faced with the physical and emotional needs of the terminally ill.
You too may have trouble controlling your emotions when you see a loved one suffering. Hosa, who lives in Brazil and whose sister was terminally ill, says, “It’s a very difficult experience to see someone you dearly love suffer constant pain.” On seeing his sister stricken with leprosy, the faithful man Moses cried out: “O God, please! Heal her, please!”—Numbers 12:12, 13.
We feel distressed by the plight of our sick loved one because we are made in the image of our compassionate God, Jehovah. (Genesis 1:27; Isaiah 63:9) How does Jehovah feel about human suffering? Consider Jesus’ reaction. He perfectly reflected his Father’s personality. (John 14:9) When Jesus saw people afflicted by illness, he was “moved with pity” for them. (Matthew 20:29-34; Mark 1:40, 41) As discussed in the preceding article in this magazine, when his friend Lazarus died and Jesus saw the effect death had on family and friends, he became deeply troubled and “gave way to tears.” (John 11:32-35) Indeed, the Bible describes death as an enemy and promises that soon both sickness and death will be no more.—1 Corinthians 15:26; Revelation 21:3, 4.
Understandably, you may feel an urge to blame someone—anyone—for the bitter news that a loved one is terminally ill. However, Dr. Marta Ortiz, who prepared a thesis on the subject of caring for the terminally ill, offers this advice: “Avoid blaming others—the medical team, nurses, or yourself—for the patient’s condition. This will only make relationships more tense and take away attention from what should be the principal concern: the needs of the terminally ill patient.” What practical steps can you take to help your loved one cope with his or her illness and the prospect of death?
See the Person, Not the Illness
A first step is to look beyond any debilitating or disfiguring effects of the illness and see the person. How can you do so? Sarah, a nurse, says: “I take the time to look at pictures of the patient when he was still full of vigor. I listen carefully as he tells me about his memories. This helps me to remember the individual’s life and history and not just to focus on the patient’s present condition.”
Anne-Catherine, also a nurse, explains how she sees beyond the physical symptoms of the patient. “I look the person in the eyes,” she says, “and I concentrate on what I can do to improve the condition of the patient.” The book The Needs of the Dying—A Guide for Bringing Hope, Comfort, and Love to Life’s Final Chapter says: “It is common to feel terribly uncomfortable at the sight of a loved one disfigured by illness or accident. The best thing to do under those circumstances is to look into the eyes of the loved one and see those changeless brown or green or blue eyes.”
Focusing on the person and not the illness benefits both you and your loved one
Granted, such an approach requires self-control and determination. Georges, a Christian overseer who regularly visits the terminally ill, puts it this way, “Our love for our companion must be stronger than the illness.” If you focus on the person and not the illness, you benefit both yourself and your loved one. Yvonne, who has cared for children with cancer, says, “Realizing that you can help the patients to keep their dignity helps you to deal with their physical deterioration.”
Focus on the individual’s life and history and not just on the patient’s present condition
Be Ready to Listen
People may be reluctant to contact someone who is dying even though they love the person dearly. Why? They worry that they will not know what to say. However, Anne-Catherine, who recently nursed a terminally ill friend, points out that silence has its place. She says: “Comfort comes not only from our words but also from our attitude. Pulling up a chair and sitting down, drawing near and offering our hand, not holding back our tears when they reveal what they are feeling—all of this shows that we care.”
Your loved one likely needs to vent his or her feelings—to communicate honestly and openly. Often, though, the ill individual is conscious that loved ones are uneasy and avoids talking about serious personal matters. Well-meaning friends and family may also avoid discussing topics that are of concern to the patient, even hiding relevant health information from him. What is the result of such a conspiracy of silence? One doctor who deals with terminally ill patients explains that the effort required to hide the truth “diverts energy from the more significant process of relating to others and facing up to the illness.” Therefore, if he wishes to, the sick person should be allowed to talk openly about his condition or the possibility of his death.
When confronted with death, servants of God in the past did not hesitate to express their fears to Jehovah God. For example, on learning that he was going to die, 39-year-old King Hezekiah voiced his despair. (Isaiah 38:9-12, 18-20) Similarly, terminally ill people must be allowed to express sadness at seeing their life cut short. Perhaps they feel frustrated because personal goals, such as traveling, having a family, seeing grandchildren grow up, or serving God to a fuller extent, are now beyond their reach. Maybe they are afraid that friends and family members will distance themselves because of fear of not knowing how to react. (Job 19:16-18) The fear of suffering, of losing control of bodily functions, or of dying alone may also weigh upon their minds.
Anne-Catherine says: “It is important for you to allow your companion to express himself, without interrupting or judging him or minimizing his fears. It is the best way of knowing what he is really feeling and of understanding his wishes, fears, and expectations.”
Understand Basic Needs
The plight of your companion, perhaps worsened by aggressive therapies and the aftereffects of such treatments, can disturb you so much that you might forget a basic need of the patient. It is the need to be able to make his or her own choices.
In some cultures, a family might try to protect the sick person by hiding the truth about his or her condition, even to the point of excluding the patient from decisions about medical treatment. In other cultures, a different problem may surface. For instance, Jerry, a male nurse, says, “Visitors sometimes have a tendency to speak about the sick person while standing at his bedside, as if he were no longer there.” In either case, such conduct robs the patient of dignity.
Hope is another basic need. In countries where quality medical care is available, hope is often closely associated with finding an effective treatment. Michelle, who has helped her mother through three recurrences of cancer, explains: “If Mother wishes to try another treatment or consult another specialist, I help her with her research. I have come to realize that I have to be realistic in my heart but at the same time positive in my words.”
What if there is no hope of finding a cure? Remember that the terminally ill patient needs to discuss death openly. Georges, the Christian overseer quoted earlier, says: “It is very important not to hide the imminence of death. This allows the individual to make practical arrangements and to prepare for his death.” Such preparation can give a patient a sense of completion and ease his concern that he might be a burden to others.
Of course, it is natural to find these matters difficult to discuss. But such frank talks offer a unique opportunity to express your deepest feelings sincerely. The dying person may wish to reconcile previous differences, express regrets, or ask for forgiveness. These exchanges may lift your relationship with the one who is dying to new levels of intimacy.
A Way of Respecting a Patient’s Dignity
In many countries, efforts are made to recognize a terminally ill patient’s right to die in peace and with dignity. Written advance directives provide a helpful tool to respect these rights and allow patients to die at home or in a hospice.
An advance directive will do the following:
Promote communication with doctors and relatives
Relieve the family of the decision-making process
Reduce the likelihood of unwanted, useless, aggressive, costly treatments
An effective advance directive includes at least the following information:
The name of the person acting as your health care proxy
The treatments that you will accept or refuse should your condition become irreversible
If possible, the name of the doctor who is aware of your choices
Providing Comfort During the Final Days
How can you provide comfort to a person approaching the end of his life? Dr. Ortiz, quoted earlier, says: “Let the patient make his or her last requests. Listen attentively. If possible, try to do what the patient wants. If it is not possible to fulfill the patient’s request, be honest.”
More than ever, the dying person may feel the need to remain in contact with those who count the most in his life. Georges says, “Help the patient to make contact with them, even if the conversations are brief as a result of the patient’s lack of energy.” Even if only by telephone, this contact allows for an exchange of encouragement and also for praying together. Christina, a Canadian woman who lost three loved ones in succession, recalls, “The closer they came to the end of their lives, the more they depended upon the prayers of their Christian companions.”
Should you be afraid to cry in front of your loved one? No. If you give way to tears, you are in fact giving your dying companion the opportunity to act as a comforter. The book The Needs of the Dying observes: “It is a deeply moving experience to be comforted by the dying, one that can be extremely important to them.” By consoling others, the one who has been the object of much care is able to rediscover his or her identity as a caring friend, father, or mother.
Understandably, circumstances may prevent you from being with your loved one during his or her final hours. However, if you are able to be with your friend in a hospital or at home, try to hold his or her hand right up to the end. These last moments offer an opportunity to express sentiments you may rarely have vocalized. Do not allow the absence of reaction to deprive you of saying good-bye and expressing your love and your hope of seeing him or her again in the resurrection.—Job 14:14, 15; Acts 24:15.
If you make the best use of these last moments, you will likely avoid feelings of regret later. In fact, these moments of intense emotion could in the future become a source of comfort that you draw upon. You will have proved yourself to be a true companion “when there is distress.”—Proverbs 17:17.
Appeared in The Watchtower May 1, 2008
Copyright © 2009 Watch Tower Bible
“When I first learned that Mother’s condition was terminal, I just couldn’t believe it. I was in a state of shock, unable to accept that my dear mom was going to die.”—Grace, Canada.
WHEN a loved one is diagnosed with a terminal illness, both family and friends are deeply distressed and may not know how to react. Some may wonder if they should tell the patient the whole truth about his or her condition. Others doubt that they will be able to cope with seeing the one they love suffer and perhaps lose dignity because of the effects of the disease. Many worry that they will not know what to say or do during the patient’s final hours.
What do you need to know about the way you might react to such bad news? And how can you be “a true companion” and provide comfort and support during this distressing time?—Proverbs 17:17.
A Natural Reaction
It is only natural to be distressed when a loved one is struck by serious illness. Even doctors, despite regularly dealing with death, often feel troubled—even powerless—when faced with the physical and emotional needs of the terminally ill.
You too may have trouble controlling your emotions when you see a loved one suffering. Hosa, who lives in Brazil and whose sister was terminally ill, says, “It’s a very difficult experience to see someone you dearly love suffer constant pain.” On seeing his sister stricken with leprosy, the faithful man Moses cried out: “O God, please! Heal her, please!”—Numbers 12:12, 13.
We feel distressed by the plight of our sick loved one because we are made in the image of our compassionate God, Jehovah. (Genesis 1:27; Isaiah 63:9) How does Jehovah feel about human suffering? Consider Jesus’ reaction. He perfectly reflected his Father’s personality. (John 14:9) When Jesus saw people afflicted by illness, he was “moved with pity” for them. (Matthew 20:29-34; Mark 1:40, 41) As discussed in the preceding article in this magazine, when his friend Lazarus died and Jesus saw the effect death had on family and friends, he became deeply troubled and “gave way to tears.” (John 11:32-35) Indeed, the Bible describes death as an enemy and promises that soon both sickness and death will be no more.—1 Corinthians 15:26; Revelation 21:3, 4.
Understandably, you may feel an urge to blame someone—anyone—for the bitter news that a loved one is terminally ill. However, Dr. Marta Ortiz, who prepared a thesis on the subject of caring for the terminally ill, offers this advice: “Avoid blaming others—the medical team, nurses, or yourself—for the patient’s condition. This will only make relationships more tense and take away attention from what should be the principal concern: the needs of the terminally ill patient.” What practical steps can you take to help your loved one cope with his or her illness and the prospect of death?
See the Person, Not the Illness
A first step is to look beyond any debilitating or disfiguring effects of the illness and see the person. How can you do so? Sarah, a nurse, says: “I take the time to look at pictures of the patient when he was still full of vigor. I listen carefully as he tells me about his memories. This helps me to remember the individual’s life and history and not just to focus on the patient’s present condition.”
Anne-Catherine, also a nurse, explains how she sees beyond the physical symptoms of the patient. “I look the person in the eyes,” she says, “and I concentrate on what I can do to improve the condition of the patient.” The book The Needs of the Dying—A Guide for Bringing Hope, Comfort, and Love to Life’s Final Chapter says: “It is common to feel terribly uncomfortable at the sight of a loved one disfigured by illness or accident. The best thing to do under those circumstances is to look into the eyes of the loved one and see those changeless brown or green or blue eyes.”
Focusing on the person and not the illness benefits both you and your loved one
Granted, such an approach requires self-control and determination. Georges, a Christian overseer who regularly visits the terminally ill, puts it this way, “Our love for our companion must be stronger than the illness.” If you focus on the person and not the illness, you benefit both yourself and your loved one. Yvonne, who has cared for children with cancer, says, “Realizing that you can help the patients to keep their dignity helps you to deal with their physical deterioration.”
Focus on the individual’s life and history and not just on the patient’s present condition
Be Ready to Listen
People may be reluctant to contact someone who is dying even though they love the person dearly. Why? They worry that they will not know what to say. However, Anne-Catherine, who recently nursed a terminally ill friend, points out that silence has its place. She says: “Comfort comes not only from our words but also from our attitude. Pulling up a chair and sitting down, drawing near and offering our hand, not holding back our tears when they reveal what they are feeling—all of this shows that we care.”
Your loved one likely needs to vent his or her feelings—to communicate honestly and openly. Often, though, the ill individual is conscious that loved ones are uneasy and avoids talking about serious personal matters. Well-meaning friends and family may also avoid discussing topics that are of concern to the patient, even hiding relevant health information from him. What is the result of such a conspiracy of silence? One doctor who deals with terminally ill patients explains that the effort required to hide the truth “diverts energy from the more significant process of relating to others and facing up to the illness.” Therefore, if he wishes to, the sick person should be allowed to talk openly about his condition or the possibility of his death.
When confronted with death, servants of God in the past did not hesitate to express their fears to Jehovah God. For example, on learning that he was going to die, 39-year-old King Hezekiah voiced his despair. (Isaiah 38:9-12, 18-20) Similarly, terminally ill people must be allowed to express sadness at seeing their life cut short. Perhaps they feel frustrated because personal goals, such as traveling, having a family, seeing grandchildren grow up, or serving God to a fuller extent, are now beyond their reach. Maybe they are afraid that friends and family members will distance themselves because of fear of not knowing how to react. (Job 19:16-18) The fear of suffering, of losing control of bodily functions, or of dying alone may also weigh upon their minds.
Anne-Catherine says: “It is important for you to allow your companion to express himself, without interrupting or judging him or minimizing his fears. It is the best way of knowing what he is really feeling and of understanding his wishes, fears, and expectations.”
Understand Basic Needs
The plight of your companion, perhaps worsened by aggressive therapies and the aftereffects of such treatments, can disturb you so much that you might forget a basic need of the patient. It is the need to be able to make his or her own choices.
In some cultures, a family might try to protect the sick person by hiding the truth about his or her condition, even to the point of excluding the patient from decisions about medical treatment. In other cultures, a different problem may surface. For instance, Jerry, a male nurse, says, “Visitors sometimes have a tendency to speak about the sick person while standing at his bedside, as if he were no longer there.” In either case, such conduct robs the patient of dignity.
Hope is another basic need. In countries where quality medical care is available, hope is often closely associated with finding an effective treatment. Michelle, who has helped her mother through three recurrences of cancer, explains: “If Mother wishes to try another treatment or consult another specialist, I help her with her research. I have come to realize that I have to be realistic in my heart but at the same time positive in my words.”
What if there is no hope of finding a cure? Remember that the terminally ill patient needs to discuss death openly. Georges, the Christian overseer quoted earlier, says: “It is very important not to hide the imminence of death. This allows the individual to make practical arrangements and to prepare for his death.” Such preparation can give a patient a sense of completion and ease his concern that he might be a burden to others.
Of course, it is natural to find these matters difficult to discuss. But such frank talks offer a unique opportunity to express your deepest feelings sincerely. The dying person may wish to reconcile previous differences, express regrets, or ask for forgiveness. These exchanges may lift your relationship with the one who is dying to new levels of intimacy.
A Way of Respecting a Patient’s Dignity
In many countries, efforts are made to recognize a terminally ill patient’s right to die in peace and with dignity. Written advance directives provide a helpful tool to respect these rights and allow patients to die at home or in a hospice.
An advance directive will do the following:
Promote communication with doctors and relatives
Relieve the family of the decision-making process
Reduce the likelihood of unwanted, useless, aggressive, costly treatments
An effective advance directive includes at least the following information:
The name of the person acting as your health care proxy
The treatments that you will accept or refuse should your condition become irreversible
If possible, the name of the doctor who is aware of your choices
Providing Comfort During the Final Days
How can you provide comfort to a person approaching the end of his life? Dr. Ortiz, quoted earlier, says: “Let the patient make his or her last requests. Listen attentively. If possible, try to do what the patient wants. If it is not possible to fulfill the patient’s request, be honest.”
More than ever, the dying person may feel the need to remain in contact with those who count the most in his life. Georges says, “Help the patient to make contact with them, even if the conversations are brief as a result of the patient’s lack of energy.” Even if only by telephone, this contact allows for an exchange of encouragement and also for praying together. Christina, a Canadian woman who lost three loved ones in succession, recalls, “The closer they came to the end of their lives, the more they depended upon the prayers of their Christian companions.”
Should you be afraid to cry in front of your loved one? No. If you give way to tears, you are in fact giving your dying companion the opportunity to act as a comforter. The book The Needs of the Dying observes: “It is a deeply moving experience to be comforted by the dying, one that can be extremely important to them.” By consoling others, the one who has been the object of much care is able to rediscover his or her identity as a caring friend, father, or mother.
Understandably, circumstances may prevent you from being with your loved one during his or her final hours. However, if you are able to be with your friend in a hospital or at home, try to hold his or her hand right up to the end. These last moments offer an opportunity to express sentiments you may rarely have vocalized. Do not allow the absence of reaction to deprive you of saying good-bye and expressing your love and your hope of seeing him or her again in the resurrection.—Job 14:14, 15; Acts 24:15.
If you make the best use of these last moments, you will likely avoid feelings of regret later. In fact, these moments of intense emotion could in the future become a source of comfort that you draw upon. You will have proved yourself to be a true companion “when there is distress.”—Proverbs 17:17.
Appeared in The Watchtower May 1, 2008
Copyright © 2009 Watch Tower Bible
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