Life and death – no matter where you come from you will encounter it. Life and death can be experienced through many lenses; the birth of your child, the loss of a loved one, or through battling a serious disease. In his book, “Twelve Patients: Life and Death at Bellevue Hospital”, Eric Manheimer recounts his career as Bellevue Hospital’s former medical director. He narrates a series of moving medical cases, including his own. His story highlights that no matter where you come from, everyone values life and grapples with death.
Bellevue Hospital is the largest public hospital in New York City. Originally a psych ward, it is now known for its quality of care and treats everyone from undocumented immigrants or the homeless, to the wealthy. Despite the disparity between patients, the similarity between their experiences highlights the sameness between everyone – we are all human. Manheimer bares light onto several cases, revealing the raw emotions and challenges of the patients and their families.
Each chapter of the book recaps twelve distinctly different patient stories. Each story is moving as you begin to understand the individuals’ struggles and how their illnesses came to be. The stories are so different yet so alike. One patient is a prison inmate and another a teen in the foster system. But both may feel lost and a lack of support during their treatment. On the other hand, there are undocumented immigrants who have loved ones present to bring hope and fulfilment into their lives. In all cases, the medical staff treat patients with humility, fulfilling their desire to be loved or wanted in this world.
A very personal chapter of the book is Manheimer’s battle with throat cancer, which not only revealed his strength and determination but made him a more compassionate doctor. A key element in his story is having his wife Diana by his side, who brought him strength when times were tough. His experience helped develop an understanding of what patients are going through, and emphasised the importance of having a strong network when dealing with serious diseases such as cancer.
The contrasts between patients’ stories revealed the inequality of treatment due to socio-economic factors. It makes you wonder how different individuals with the same diagnosis can be left with polarising outcomes. Manheimer takes us into the boardrooms where decisions for healthcare budgets are made and reveals the consequences on understaffed emergency wards. These stories expose the complexities of the healthcare system and leaves you to wonder what can be done differently.
While Manheimer’s book has recounted amazing medical stories, it notes the importance of seeing people for people, and not how society perceives them. These stories exude courage and inspiration, bringing gratitude for what you have. It raises questions of inequality and what can be done differently. But most importantly it teaches you to treat everyone with humility and compassion no matter their situation.
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