“Basch: So why don't you ask her out? The Runt: I'm scared she wouldn't like me and say no. -So what? What have you got to lose? -The possibility -if she says no- that she might have said yes. Whatever I do, I don't want to lose that possibility.” LoveDatingMedicine Book:The House of God Source: The House of God
“The surgeon, hand tired, asked me if I'd like to take over. Foggy, I did. I got my hand around the back of the young lifeless heart and squeezed. Tough, slippery, the sinewy muscle was a leather bag, filled with blood, rolling in the steamy chest cavity, tied to the tubes of the major vessels. Why was I doing this? My hand hurt. I gave up. The heart lay like a grayish-blue fruit on a tree of bones. Sickening. The face of the BMS was blue, turning white. The gash in his chest was bright red, turning to a clotted black. We'd ruined his body, even as he'd died. As I left the room, I heard Jo yell out with crisp authority: 'Any BMS students here? This is a chance you don't get often in your training, to learn to massage the heart. Great teaching case. Come on.” HeartDeathMedicineHospitalMedical Students Book:The House of God Source: The House of God
“Gomers are human beings who have lost what goes into being human beings. They want to die, and we will not let them.” MedicineEnd Of Life CareGomers Book:The House of God Source: The House of God
“At a cardiac arrest, the first procedure is to take your own pulse” FirstsProceduresPulseHouse Of GodCardiacCardiac Arrest Book:The House of God Source: The House of God
“The delivery of medical care is to do as much nothing as possible.” CareMedicalDeliveryMedical CareHouse Of God Book:The House of God Source: The House of God
“There is no body cavity that cannot be reached with a number fourteen needle and a good strong arm.” BodyStrongNumbersArmsNeedlesFourteenStrong ArmsHouse Of God Author:Samuel Shem
“Yes, last year in interviewing. Empathy is when you repeat the last three words the patient says and nod your head.” YearsLastsThreeEmpathyPatientRepeatsLast YearThree Words Author:Samuel Shem
“I make my patients feel like they're still part of life, part of some grand nutty scheme instead of alone with their diseases. With me, they still feel part of the human race.” FeelsHumansStillsRaceDiseaseMedicinePatientHuman RaceSchemesParts Of LifeNutty Author:Samuel Shem