Mary Donohue

ALHE 5500 – Spring 2008

1. Name three or more statements, scenarios, or ideas that come to mind from Dr. Vance's comments in this book. Be specific on details or ideas.

I found the following passage relating to digestive disorders quite interesting.  One patient stated “milk fills me so full of air, you’d think I’d eat a mess of October beans.”  This shows that this patient realizes that milk products cause him gas.  Basically, he just described lactose intolerance.  If a doctor wasn’t listening intently, they could have missed this important correlation.

I also noted that many of the patients that Dr. Vance assisted in labor and delivery ended up wanting to name their child after him.  This shows how important the relationship between Dr. Vance and his patients was.  He obviously got to know them and earned their trust.  I’ve had two children and two different doctors delivered them because I got whoever was at the hospital on the nights I gave birth.  I had never met either of them before that night, so I had no relationship with them.  Although I was pleased with the doctors I had, the thought of naming my children after them never even entered my mind.

I also liked the passage regarding how indoor plumbing decreased constipation in women.  It was interesting how a simple invention could cause “relief.”  The women were now able to use the facilities without having to think that “someone would see them walking outside during the day or they would see someone walking outside at night”.

2. Did Dr. Vance differ from other doctors, from doctor's you have worked with, in the way he listened to patients? Explain.  

I do think that Dr. Vance did differ from other doctors that I have seen.  He truly listened to his patients and was able to “decipher” what was really going on.  Since he was a doctor that also made house calls, he had the opportunity to also really “see” what was going on with his patients.  Knowing background history of living conditions and such are a great opportunity to gather more information about a patient.  He earned his patients trust and they felt comfortable with him.  Today, Dr.’s don’t have enough time during appointments to really have a chance to really “listen” because they know they probably have 3 other patients already waiting for them.

3.  Many folks, especially folks not from this area, think that Dr. Vance condescends or disrespects the folks he discusses in this book.  Tell, in detail, why you agree or disagree with this opinion.

If I hadn’t read the forward and introductions, I might have questioned the intent of the passages.  For instance, he makes comments about how many misspellings he witnessed while examining employment applications.  Since I did read the beginning sections, I was able to understand that Dr. Vance’s intentions were pure.  He became an integral part of his patient’s lives and truly cared about them.  He wanted to capture the characteristics of his patient population and did so by using their vernacular.  He was able to do this because he really listened to what his patients were saying.  By doing so, he was able to decipher what they were saying and use it to help diagnose their problems.

4.  If you had a chance to tell Dr. Vance's family ONE observation you gathered from the reading of this book, what would that observation be?

Dr. Vance was an extremely compassionate physician.  He cared for and got to know his patients on a level that few physicians can achieve today.