Patients’ Quotes

Reiki, raking, remembering

By / / Patients' Quotes

“After Reiki, I did some raking”

This morning, as I sit with my coffee, I think of my yoga and tai chi class of this week
And immediately this patient and her words come to mind
I think about how this quote was a shoe in to Stopped in My Tracks 👣

I love words
I love what happens when you put them together
And I love how words that have never been put together make magic
Reiki and raking
With these six words, she shared so much with me
First, how active she was remaining during her journey with pancreatic cancer
Then how she was taking care of herself holistically
She captured all the rules that my English teachers had taught with word choice and sounds for poetic justice
And she captured the very spirit of what I get to do every day
I remember her fondly
I remember the details – her thick wool socks in Birkenstocks
On New England fall and spring days
She was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, but chose to walk the journey naturally – chose no chemotherapy, but just her daily living, spending her days with the people and activities she enjoyed
I remember the day she said I just want to come here and see how we’re doing – reevaluate every few weeks
She had a monthly visit with me
And we talked about everything
At approximately 11 months, she shared with me that she was ready for more support and enrolled with hospice
I did tai chi this week
I’ve worn warm colored lines socks in Birkenstocks
I’ve watched the show we talk about
This morning and this post is like one of our monthly visits
I will never forget her
I am forever changed
👣

Turtle Tears

By / / Cancer, Patients' Quotes

“My tears hurt,” he said.

Chemotherapy leaves our body in our fluids
He described, stinging and burning as tears made their way out of his eyes.
I had never heard it described this way.

This morning, coffee in hand I learned about a most beautiful relationship.
Butterflies drink the tears of turtles, rich in electrolytes … think Nature’s Gatorade
And in turn, the turtle is groomed

I cannot help but think
Of how in this journey – life, parenting, the cancer journey even
We are called to walk with, hold space,
Listen and be with
And their healing happens

Maybe too we’re called to drink each other’s tears

View this post on Instagram or follow me @christygomezmd.

Permanence

By / / Patients' Quotes

First day of school down
Fake/temp tattoo placed by my 6 yr old beginning to fade
Yep, my 6 yr old placed it
He chose this spot on my arm
Lay this paper,
Water and voilá
Perfectly placed
I secretly love it – even as I don’t recognize my arm
Never been able to place those without tearing them apart

What a summer!
And like this tattoo little parts of it fading into memory
And bleeding nicely into fall, into back to school, into my favorite time of the year

My patient today says
“Dr Gomez, God knows my days are numbered –
And I wish to stop therapy
I want to be with the people I love”

Mrs B –
I get it
All of ours are
Go enjoy em!

Here’s to the last days of summer
Here’s to back to school
Here’s to the decisions we make
Here’s to whatever seems to be fading
Maybe that’s what’s really permanent

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