Finding time for family life and personal health

There is a perception that most doctors

share – namely that illness is for others.

We shrug off coughs and colds and rarely

take any time off to look after ourselves.

We know we should take more care but

our training places our priorities elsewhere.

Ouruse of timedoes not allow for family

life as it should – we invariably give our

grandchildren the time and attention our

own children ‘understood’ was not possi-

ble. I am lucky with my two sensible chil-

dren (their mother’s influence) both

of whom graduated in non-medical

arenas. Perhaps it was when my daughter

who on my raising the question of a

career in medicine replied – ‘‘Dad, it’s

no way to lead a life’’ – that I took stock.

The electricity of her comment allowed

me to re-focus my priorities and find

more time for non-medical issues close

to family life. Cold touchlines watching

my son play soccer were worth the

thanks I got for supporting him and

when he was made school soccer captain

I was quietly (you mustn’t be effusive –

that’s not cool) very proud of him.

It is Christmas that has caused me

to reflect and, as my retirement moves

ever closer, to begin to think about

and remember the highs and lows of 35

years in practice. Time and its use

or misuse troubles me; we do not appreci-

atewhatwe have until we lose it – and time

is no exception. Ideally we should be able

to say – ‘‘the past is past, the future has not

arrived and we should live for now’’, but it

can never be so honestly simple when a

career cheats the many advantages of time.

A colleague sat deep in thought the week

before his 26 years old daughter mar-

ried…‘‘you know Graham, I last really

saw my daughter when she was in pri-

mary school – the years I have missed

have gone so fast’’.

This year I became ‘really’ ill for the first

time. I had been unusually tired over the

summer months and failed to rejuvenate

on vacation in South Africa. No other

symptoms troubled me so I attributed

the problem to pressure of work – behav-

ing to type with no plan to share my

problem with anyone. I traveled to the

Far East and gave lectures in Singapore,

Malaysia and Hong Kong and felt well

away from the UK – confirming in my

mind stress of the National Health

Service as the aetiology. On my return

matters worsened and when a patient

cancelled his appointment I decided to

use the time to check my blood pressure

with the Omron machine. After three

readings I was convinced the machine

was faulty with all systolic readings

above 185mmHg. Applying common

sense for the first time (I sometimes

believe doctors only apply common

sense to others) I had my pressure

checked by a technician and nurse, and

the hypertension was confirmed. Like a

good academic trooper I agreed to join a

research programme – if you practice

research you should be willing to be on

the other side of the desk – and began

therapy. Progress has been slowly to my

benefit and I was allowed to choose my

drugs. I selected amlodipine from the

VALUE1 trial and atorvastatin from

ASCOT-LLA.2

The reaction of others has been inter-

esting because of the contrasts: genuine

concern from nurse colleagues and one

or two medical colleagues, but others

have been in the camp of medical

immortality where illness equals weak-

ness (and can I take advantage). It really

seems to be the case that women care

more about the welfare of colleagues.

So as the New Year approaches con-

sider where you are on the long and

winding career road. Time for and

with the family – if you don’t use it

you will lose it – should become your

priority. No doctor on his deathbed

wished he/she had spent more time in

the clinic. Your health is important, so

keep aware and do not delay getting

checked if there is an unexplained symp-

tom. When we see our patients we often

finish a consultation by saying ‘‘take

care’’. Now and in the years to come

find the time to take care of yourself

for your own sake and that of your

nearest and dearest (and your patients!)

Graham Jackson

Editor

REFERENCES

1. Jackson G. The value of VALUE: the

importance of lowering blood pressure

quickly. Int J Clin Pract 2004; 58: 901.

2. Sever PS, Dahlof B, Poulter NR et al.

Prevention of coronary and stroke

events with atorvastatin in hypertensive

patients who have average or lower-

than-average cholesterol concentrations

in the Anglo-Scandinavian Cardiac

Outcomes Trial – Lipid Lowering

Arm (ASCOT-LLA): A multi-centre

randomized controlled trial. Lancet

2003; 361: 1149–58.

ª 2004 Blackwell Publishing Ltd Int J Clin Pract, January 2005, 59, 1, 1

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