Comments for A Penny Drops

Comment on A Ship Called “Practice” by Diarmuid Mulcahy

Diarmuid Mulcahy — Mon, 20 May 2024 18:08:49 +0000

Hi Trish,
Your comments especially being considerate enough to remind us of the “grandeur” of Hopkins’s poetry enriches this space.
Thanks also for sharing your stormy moment which eventually passed.

Comment on A Ship Called “Practice” by Trish Horgan

Trish Horgan — Wed, 15 May 2024 22:07:12 +0000

Diarmuid, thank you for sharing your reflection. I loved your poem, but I must admit I was also terrified by it. . The ship floundering on the hidden rocks triggered memories of practice trauma ! Like most GPs, I know that sinking feeling that is all pervasive when a sudden storm hits.
I can think of one particular example where there was failure in my practice to follow up on an equivocal scan result, and many months later I am facing the wrath of the patient as I desperately reach out to a consultant colleague for the “I’m phoning a friend “ call. I remember so well the sense of relief when the consultant colleague was sympathetic, and acted quickly to get my patient sorted.
In-keepiing with your image, I am reminded of the Hopkins verse :
“Across my floundering deck shone a beacon, an eternal beam. Flesh fade and mortal trash fall to the residuary worm; world’s wildfire, leave but ash”.
Every crisis passes, but the support and kindness we receive from colleagues in our hour of darkness leaves an ineradicable impression.

Comment on A Ship Called “Practice” by Diarmuid Mulcahy

Diarmuid Mulcahy — Fri, 06 Oct 2023 20:15:03 +0000

I agree that we work within the stories of others, Narrative Medicine promotes this concept. It is the sparks that fly when the father’s story and mine buzz off each other. A fire ignites that nearly engulfs me and douses my spirit. In the end I am saved but I am forever scortched. I am called to redouble my discipline when creating and following up on reminder systems – which form a large part of our clinical defences.

Comment on A Ship Called “Practice” by Michael Griffin

Michael Griffin — Fri, 06 Oct 2023 10:18:15 +0000

General. Practice is a collection of stories involving families and all walks of life
We as practitioners are allowed look under the bonnet and comment on the direction the story is taking
Intuitively we apply the science and art of our profession
We are influenced by what is going on in our own story and learnt predictive outcomes from our experiences as a GP
Diarmuid. Your poem identified for me that sinking feeling when I feared that I may have missed something
But thankfully all was well
PS. I had in my head that cervical lymph glands were normal In children as one of my Learnt predictive outcomes ( but Dads aggression would have rattled that learning)
M