I am what I am because of who we all are. ~ Leymah Gbowee

A person in the throes of hepatitis C treatment told me about a conflict she was having with her doctor. Both see the situation differently. A mistake was made; each blames the other. I know the patient is scared--afraid of not getting the proper treatment to maximize the chances of beating hepatitis C. I don’t know the physician, but through all the blustery unnecessary rudeness, he is acting like he is scare--scared for his patient, for litigation, for his own part in this mistake, who knows.

The word ubuntu comes to mind. It means that we are all connected. The patient is in the physician; the physician is in the patient. We exist because of each other.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu said, “Ubuntu is the essence of being human...that you can’t exist as a human being in isolation. It speaks about our interconnectedness. You can’t be human all by yourself... We think of ourselves far too frequently as just individuals, separated from one another, whereas you are connected and what you do affects the whole world.”

I wish every physician and patient would whisper the word UBUNTU at each appointment. May you remember you are who you are because of whom we all are.