One of my favorite films of all time is Field of Dreams. The mixing of reality and fantasy is overwhelmingly artistic as we root for ‘Ray and his ballfield built in a cornfield’. By far one of the greatest scenes in the movie is when Ray’s daughter falls off the stands on the field and lays motionless on the ground below.
Doc, played by the mega-mega star Burt Lancaster, is on the field as a ball player but upon hearing the cries for help, he comes to the aid of the child. As he crossed the first base foul line, he transforms from a youthful player to an elderly doctor carrying his medical bag. Of course, he saves the life of the little girl and the movie continues, but he cannot go back to where he was. He must stay at being an elderly doctor, forgoing the chance to stay as a youthful ball player. When Kevin Costner’s character apologizes, he’s assured that it’s okay and being the doctor was his true calling.
As I watch this part of the movie, I’m filled with nostalgia for a whole bunch of reasons. But most of all, it’s that little black bag the doctor carries. Those of us old enough to remember those rare situations called doctor’s ‘house calls’ recognize that bag immediately. At a time in our youth, it was not uncommon for a doctor to come to our house when needed and that bag was always in tow. That entire nostalgic moment in the film reflects an action long gone the way like the Dodo Bird; extinct.
What concerns me most is that treatment has gone from that, to taking a back seat to the almighty dollar. I was reading a story of a doctor who had enough of not admitting pediatric cases to the hospital she worked, so the beds could stay open for the more profitable adult cases. REALLY? She quit.
If you watch Greys Anatomy, this ‘show-arc’ has been front and center for some time now. Life imitating art is more and more showing the decisions being made driven by the dollars in, and not necessarily the patient’s best possible care. So very sad, yet so very true.
Unfortunately when it comes to caring for those with incredible medical needs like diabetes, it’s my saddest fear that we will get to the point Mr. Lancaster gets to in the film and there will be no going back.
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