I drowned out the rest of my parents’ conversation as they prepared for the worst. My dad would be undergoing a major open-heart surgery in a week and was showing my mom how to do all the tasks he was normally responsible for, should something go wrong during the surgery. My mom’s father passed away from heart disease when she was only 7 years old, so we were no strangers to the severity of the situation. Terrified at the prospect of losing my father, I denied the situation at hand and pretended everything was normal.
Before the surgery, my dad’s surgeon came into the hospital room where we were waiting and gave us reassuring words, which we appreciatively soaked up, needing the hope and comfort they offered. We were then led to the waiting room, where we anxiously awaited updates. After a few hours, the surgeon strutted into the waiting room and pulled down his mask, …show more content…
My interest in medicine was thus sparked, as my dad’s broken heart was repaired. A desire to further explore this world of medicine led me to volunteer at the Hope Clinic, which provides free healthcare for the uninsured and underserved. Here, I interacted with a patient who walked into the clinic with teary eyes, and she explained through a language barrier that she had severe abdominal pain. She was uninsured, which impeded her from previously receiving treatment, so I assured her that our services were free and scheduled an appointment. I continued to talk to her, attempting to ease her nervousness, and after a few minutes of conversation, her tense, upright posture became relaxed, her bouncing leg stilled, and we laughed together about my improper Spanish grammar. As she left the waiting room for her appointment, I tensed, wishing there was more I could offer her than just words of