Feeling Powerless as a Patient

I received this email from a friend today. It made me embarrassed to be a physician and fearful of the time when I will likely be in a similar position. I didn’t learn how powerless it feels to be a patient until I myself became one - and because my memories are flooded by the joy of having kids, I have mostly forgotten the frustrations. But I’m certain a day will come when I will be be able to intimately relate to my friend’s plight as I try to navigate a broken system in the midst of a serious illness.