Good medicine entails providing appropriate medical care. Spiritual care goes beyond good medicine. It engages patients so they are loved in creative ways they’ve never experienced before.
I had a young guy in his 20’s visit me in my office the other day to talk about his elevated blood pressure. He was wanting to take a Department of Transportation Test (DOT) which has requirements on blood pressure. He was starting a new job and was inquiring about starting on blood pressure pills so he could qualify for the DOT medical card.
Apparently he had gained 100 pounds in the last year alone due to a work-related injury that rendered him inactive. He stayed home taking care of his son and playing video games while his wife worked to make ends meet. But Steve[1], was now turning that around. He had stayed up all night helping out his wife so she could get rest.
Steve had a profound desire to provide for his family. I realized that Steve like many of my other patients had their priorities upside down. He was just hoping he could start taking some pills so he could start working. It would have been easy to give him some blood pressure pills and send him out the door.
I could give you some pills and send you out the door, I shared with him. But I don’t want to give you a crutch. I want to give you motivation.
In that moment I saw how Steve needed clarity about his priorities. I shared with him what an airplane crew discusses during the safety demonstration prior to taking off. When the air cabin loses pressure oxygen masks fall from the ceiling. Passengers are instructed to put on their oxygen masks first before helping a child sitting next to them.
When I asked him why he would have to put on an oxygen mask first he said, So that you can have a clear mind to help the person next to you.
Exactly I replied. The steady flow of oxygen ensures that you have a clear mind and can be useful. Well it’s the same with your health. Being healthy is ensuring you have a steady flow of oxygen to your body. Christian author Joyce Myers says, ‘The best gift you can the world and your family is a healthy you.’ The thing with you, Steven is that you’re trying to run a sprint. And life is not a sprint. It’s a marathon.
His response seemed to take it in, No one’s ever sat me down and talked to me like this before.
We then started talking about goals and I walked him through a 3-step process in achieving goals.
The third step is partnering with God. When I asked if he was religious or spiritual he said he grew up Baptist but hadn’t been going to church. He believed in God though and there was an earnestness that he was still seeking. Afterward he asked me, What church do you belong to? Because I’d be interested in attending. I shared the information how he could attend our church service.
It’s amazing to me how much of spiritual care is the love we show our patients. Yes, it’s cliché. We’ve heard how people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. The fact is when patients know we love them sincerely, they will be interested in what we know spiritually.
But I think the exciting part comes in the creative ways we can love our patients.
And to love someone takes creativity. Imagine if every time the birthday of your partner or child came along you got them the same thing every year? They would begin to question your love for them. So it takes some thought. It takes creativity.
Love and Creativity
I’ve never considered the pairing of love and creativity until now. Combining the two gives off an unexpected large amount of energy. Kind of like the nuclear fusion of two atomic molecules. The combined effect is greater than the sum of both qualities. Love gives birth to creativity. A creative act can foster a deeper connection thus deepening love.
My partner had a patient who wanted to quit smoking but just couldn’t – the bonds of addiction were too hard to break. Out of his compassion (and creativity) for her, he did this one thing: he fasted and prayed for her once a week. Because of this sacrificial creativity, his patient finally gave up the cigarettes.
This is how spiritual care pushes us. It compels us to new heights of love and creativity. Sometimes, this comes in the form of an illustration or time spent with a patient. Other times it looks like a smoking lockdown or a sacrificial act like going without food.
What are creative ways that you show patients how much you care for them?
[1] Not real name
No Comments