As I
was doing my usual quick march through the train station at Canary Wharf I felt
a tap on my shoulder.
It
was a young man, who I had seen almost a year ago when he was in an awful state
and felt that the only solution was to end his life.
What
a change in him.
Roll
the clock back twelve months to the day he arrived unannounced in a very disheveled and distressed state right in the middle of a very busy morning’s
clinic.
I
left our very able receptionist to explain to the waiting clients that the nurse
was dealing with an emergency and that they should rebook.
That
sorted I sat with him just listening and wondering what on earth had tipped him
over the edge.
I
thought to myself ‘you’re not going to
get away from me sunshine’
As is
usually the case the tipping point was a multitude of factors, family dynamics,
work pressures, too much alcohol, the list went on.
When
he was a little calmer I left him with a coffee and a snack and had
a
discussion with our doctor who in turn had a brief word with him and the he
agreed to be referred to an in-patient unit.
He
didn’t want to go in an ambulance and we didn’t want him to either, because he
could change his mind during the drive and tell them to let him go. Neither could
we allow him to leave under his own steam.
He
was still living with his girlfriend, and though he thought she would not want
anymore to do with him because of his recent behaviour he did allow me to call
her.
She
was so relieved that he had sought help and offered to leave her work and come
and escort him to the unit.
Which
she did.
I saw
him a few months later and he told me that he was now getting on much better
with his family and occupational health were supporting his return to work. And
that he was ‘dry’ with the support of AA.
Now
turn the clock forward to today, and there he is, a very presentable young man, confident
and wanting to share his success in beating the bottle.
And
the girlfriend…yes she is still with him.
It’s
events like that that make me say to myself ‘Yes!…This
is why I do what I do’
Is it
any wonder that I love my job
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