Being a patient attending a hospital appointment, taking hospital phone calls or being in a hospital environment for treatment or surgery isn’t just about medical treatment. It is a journey of vulnerability, fear, and often, uncertainty.
When things go wrong, the path becomes harder, and as a patient, you rely on more than just physical healing. You start to value something intangible but powerful: compassion.
As a patient, you can feel isolated in your suffering, especially when your body doesn’t cooperate or the unexpected happens. It is in those moments when the true strength of compassion shines through. I’ve learned that compassion isn’t just about sympathy; it’s about understanding, listening skills, presence, being proactive and genuine care when everything feels volcanic. As a patient, your world is uncomfortable and misunderstood. It is not a good place to be, especially for your own mental health and healing.
The Unseen Impact of Compassion
Recently, I was faced with a complication after surgery. I was terrified. I’d spent days in a state of disbelief, hoping my recovery would go as planned. When it didn’t, my anxiety skyrocketed. I remember being surrounded by doctors and nurses just doing their job. They took notes, inputted information, checked my stats, and prescribed meds. It felt very functional, as if they had a job to do in the hours of their shift. There was no time to check in on me to see how I was or if anything could be done to make me more comfortable. Even when I rang the bell, I had to wait a while for someone to come and help me with my pain, the need to turn over, the need to go to the bathroom or help with a cleanup after an incident.
But then a health care assistant came and spoke to me as if I were human. They asked me how they could help. They did not look down on me for creating a mess. They didn’t rush. They listened as I expressed my worries, not just about my health but about how everything felt so out of control.
The words weren’t grand or full of promises. They were simple, human. “You’re not alone in this,” she said. “We’ll figure this out together.” Don’t worry about the mess”. Those sentences, in that moment, spoken with sincerity, shifted everything. I realised then that compassion is often quiet. It doesn’t need to be a grand gesture. It is simply showing up and listening with understanding, ready to take action.
The Power of Presence
Amidst uncertainty, the presence of someone who genuinely cares can make all the difference. It’s in those late-night shifts when your pain is at its worst or when you’re waiting for a diagnosis that the presence of a compassionate healthcare worker feels like a lifeline. I’ve experienced moments when a hand on my shoulder or a soft, reassuring voice in the midst of chaos offered me more comfort than any medication ever could.
But compassion also doesn’t have to be a physical presence. It’s in the small things, like a nurse who checks in regularly, a doctor who takes a moment to explain things calmly, or even a knowing glance from a staff member who can tell when you’re at your breaking point. It’s their effort to see you as more than just a patient number or a condition to be treated.
When Things Go Wrong, Compassion Doesn’t Give Up
When complications arise, the road to recovery is often not smooth. There are setbacks when it feels like you’re taking two steps back for every step forward. This is where compassion, in its purest form, truly comes into play. The healthcare professionals should not give up on you when your prognosis isn’t great. The kind of care doesn’t end when the medical charts say so. They keep you in their thoughts, updating and reassuring you that your fight isn’t over.
There was a chief nurse who, despite the frustrating lack of progress, kept telling me, “It is going to take time. Your situation is complex”. You have both surgical pain and fibromyalgia pain, which is difficult to manage”. I haven’t given up, and neither should you.”
Sometimes, in the face of physical or emotional exhaustion, those words make the difference. They remind you that your journey isn’t just a clinical equation but a shared experience with people who genuinely care about the outcome.
Compassion as Healing
After everything I’ve gone through, I’ve learned that healing is not just a process of fixing what’s broken. Healing also involves mending the spirit. Whether from family, friends, or healthcare providers, compassion has a healing power that medical procedures alone cannot provide.
In those quiet moments of support, I learned the importance of empathy and connection. Compassion is the glue that holds you together when the world seems fragmented. It strengthens you to keep going, even when things don’t go as planned. Compassion stops your mental health from moving down the spectrum.
Being a patient has given me a deeper understanding of the profound impact of compassion. It’s not just a nice-to-have; it’s an essential element of the healing process. When things go wrong, compassion reminds you that you are not alone and are valued beyond your diagnosis, symptoms, and struggles. You are more than a room number.
Reflecting on my recent journey, I realise that compassion is much more than what I received. It includes communication style, being updated, being clear on timelines, listening to understand, and not listening to talk. Compassion is understanding the patient and, in essence, putting yourself in the patient’s shoes and being treated as you would want to be treated. Simple things like getting the patient’s name right and ensuring the right information is on forms. For example, not putting left knee or right hip when the complex surgery is on the left hip.
When preparing for surgery, and even in hospitals, patients put their trust and life in the hands of health care professionals. Truly understanding the value and benefits of compassion can make all the difference to a patient’s lasting memory of that time and the journey. Compassion can heal not just the body but the mind and the soul.
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