By James R. Fowler, MD, FACS

It is a privilege to write for perspectives in hand surgery to share a lesson I have learned from a patient. I suspect all of us have learned lessons from our patients over the years.

My memory is of “Gary,” a cerebral palsy patient in his early twenties. He was referred because of persistent fluid in his olecranon bursa. It had been drained several times but reoccurred and now seemed to be infected. Just as I sat down with him and his mother, I had a call from the E.R. An eight-year-old girl had cut both tendons in her ring and small finger while carving a pumpkin for Halloween. Gary and his mother were very understanding that I had to walk down to the E.R. to see her and arranged for her surgery.

When I returned, his first words were not about himself, nor the long wait, but could she be fixed and be alright? This young man had a specific problem he hoped we could fix. He knew that his lifelong problems with cerebral palsy were not going to be fixed; however, his first thought was not of himself, but for this injured young girl.

The tendon repairs went well. Interestingly, later that evening, another young girl had the exact same injury for the same reason. So much for carving jack-o-lanterns! Gary’s bursa was drained that day and eventually was debrided and closed with a muscle flap.

These three patients often saw each other in the   office while in the waiting room. The young ladies accepted Gary as he was with his disabilities and slow communications. Children do not usually judge others unless they learn it from adults. Gary was more concerned about their recovery and told them they would have normal hands with therapy and hard work.

He knew he would probably be alright from his elbow but also knew he would always have his lifelong problems of cerebral palsy. He did not dwell on this but encouraged the young ladies to work hard on their recovery and do what they wanted.

Probably most of us have felt at times that life has not been fair to us. Gary certainly had reasons to feel this way yet he did his best and was concerned about others.

To put others ahead of self is something we should all know. My interaction with this young man and two injured young girls reinforced this lesson for me and I hope for you all as well.