OF DIRECTORS PHILOSOPHERS AND POETS

By Alex Thain
Contact the author by e-mail at info@ardlarich.co.uk

It had been an unusual week in an ordinary practice in the North of Scotland. Three events had shaped the week- a visit by the GMC (another story, another time), the death of a child in the practice and a moving consultation.

The consultation was one of my regulars, old Jimmy at 91 years of chronological age and about 15 years of glee, mischief, sparkle and outlook. He was the sort of patient who gave old age a good name. He still enthused about the helicopter trip for his 90th birthday and has already booked his holiday to Sicily. Sadly, Jimmy’s wife died earlier in the year and he’s gradually coming to terms with the event. Like many older couples, they both had a philosophical approach to their deaths and had talked openly, always making a special point of their gratitude for 65 years of marriage.

Jimmy had coped well with her death and was grateful for their shared considerations but on this occasion he confided his Achilles heel to me. In very moving terms he described their bathroom in the morning, the low eastern sun creating a perfect spotlight on his single toothbrush. It was a scene straight from a Kubrick film, dramatic and poignant, encompassing his sadness and loss. He was a little embarrassed and I was deeply moved.

The death of a child is always traumatic and the ripples of the event spread out moving families, friends, professionals and communities. I’ve been aware of the privilege of spending a great deal of time with the family at such an intimate time. Grief, care, wisdom and philosophy flourished within the walls that wee terraced house in a large scheme. After the funeral, the family were facing their next phase and were accepting that, for others, life would return to normal in a few days. A quieter family member spoke slowly, “Aye Doc, grass still grows while you grieve”.

The phrase was quite spontaneous and I couldn’t help turning it over and over in my mind “grass still grows while you grieve”. The clarity, simplicity and insight of the metaphor were as stunning as they were unexpected. The insight had shades of TS Eliot and the alliteration, rhythm and scan would pass for Auden yet the words simply reflected how he felt.

Reflecting later I’m sure that these images are common in our practices and probably we miss many of them. Or did Eliot and Auden prowl the streets of the Highland Capital looking for help?

Other hoolet online articles by Alex Thain can be found at:
hoolet edition 50 - A Fairy Tale
hoolet edition 49 - A Tale of Two Addicts
hoolet edition 48 - The Supporter
hoolet edition 47 - Cannon Fodder
hoolet edition 46 - The Commercial Imperative Alternative
hoolet edition 46 - The Commercial Imperative Assassin
hoolet edition 45 - A Lateral Thought
hoolet edition 44 - The Watching
hoolet edition 43 - The Child Within
hoolet edition 42 - If Kipling were a GP
hoolet edition 42 - Of Directors, Philosophers and Poets
hoolet edition 40- Of Knees and Knickers
hoolet edition 39- Neighbour meets Norton
hoolet edition 38- Embarrassment
hoolet edition 37- From the Book of Negotiators
hoolet edition 36 - Practice Visit By WH Audit
hoolet edition 35 - The Bells, The Bells. . . .
hoolet edition 34 - Talking Urine
hoolet edition 33 - Reflections on Reggie Perrin
hoolet edition 32 - Myth 1 Logic 1
hoolet edition 31 - Poems
hoolet edition 30 - One Size Fits All
hoolet edition 29 - Downwardly Mobile
hoolet edition 28 - From the mouths of babes
hoolet edition 27 - On Losing Their Child

hoolet is the magazine of RCGP Scotland. It is supported intellectually, financially and emotionally by RCGP Scotland.

This issue maintained by Robert Hallam.