Comments on: Patients and suffering

By: bo

bo — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 04:27:39 +0000

Hi David! I love your commentary here. I too am fascinated with the intersections between language and culture, and although perhaps indirectly related, thought you might find interesting the distinction between “suffering” and “pain” as a parallel thought experiment. In my work as a doula, the following quote helped to shape my approach to pregnant women going into labor: “We can have pain without suffering, and suffering without pain.” As a physical therapist who has specialized in childbirth education since 1968, Peggy Simkin distinguishes between these two traditionally linked ideas—pain and suffering—as a way to remind health care providers that the level of suffering one experiences cannot necessarily be directly correlated to the amount of pain one endures. Therefore, it is imperative that health care providers appreciate how experiences and coping mechanisms—or suffering—can differ from person to person and from community to community, no matter the congruency in health indication.

keep posting.. but ALSO, i miss you and hope you are well.

By: Bob Cornwell

Bob Cornwell — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 12:53:58 +0000

Be my doctor. Please.

By: Julie Stratton

Julie Stratton — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 17:58:55 +0000

David, I have once again checked in to see what you have been up to. It’s amazing and slightly intimidating to read your blog. You have a very unique voice in all your entries. I love the fact that I always come away with something new I’ve learned or something to ponder. Life is far too short to be in a state of stasis (boy will Tom and Nick give me hell for writing this!). I love that you are embracing life and always seems to approach each new adventure with a kind of wide-eyed enthusiasm. I hope you never lose this appreciation for life. Thanks for being your remarkable self.

Admiringly,
Julie