I recently had the pleasure of hearing Rachael Naomi Remen, author of Kitchen Table Wisdom, speak in Toledo. What a gentle, strong person.
She became a doctor when women just didn't do such things. She was the only woman in the group of interns. When she told the head of the surgery department that she would like a recommendation from him to do her residency in that specialty she was told, no. The head of the department said it would never work because no one would come to a woman in time of crisis. She then applied for a "more acceptable for a woman" position in the pediatric unit. It's of interest to know that at this time in history, 50% of the folks in medical schools are women.
She has a chronic illness, Crone's disease, has had seventeen operations for it and knows the price of pain. Because of all her life experiences she is the author of two books and a course for doctors-in-training, topic- compassion. At the time I heard her speak, eleven medical schools taught it as a required course.
After many years as a pediatrician she changed her focus to cancer patients. She is a highly regarded counselor to patients and doctors all over the United States. As you can imagine she has stories and more stories. I hope you enjoy my paraphrasing of one that I thought was pretty powerful.
She has a good friend who is the head of a safe house organization for battered and abused women. She is a tiny little lady and one would not picture her standing up to some of the people and situations she must face daily. One day Rachael asked her how she got involved in this service.
When she was a young girl she married a young lawyer. During their courting days she had no clue as to his abusive side. After the wedding he changed. He spoke disrespectfully to her and physically abused her. In public he was a charmer...everyone thought, "my what a good catch she has."
As you might imagine after a long time of hearing that you are, "nothing, stupid, wrong-headed..." you might begin to believe it... One day they were in New York City. As they stood on a corner the tiny lady observed, "Isn't that a beautiful old building." Her husband thinking they were alone replied, "It just a building! Like any other building. There is nothing special about it...Do you talk just to hear yourself..." on he went for the length of the traffic light.
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