Lehigh County Health & Medicine Fall 2021 - 20

FEATURE
Rofeh
SUBMITTED BY GENE H. GINSBERG, M.D.
A
fter more than thirty years in medicine,
I have finally learned what it really
means to be a doctor.
Leon Friedman (name changed
for this essay) became my patient several
years ago. He was a Holocaust survivor
who wrestled with his memories. Yes, he
suffered depression, and what some would
call " survivor's guilt. " After all, he had lost
his whole family and endured an amazing
odyssey of hiding places, brutal work prisons
and finally, concentration camps. As he aged,
several medical conditions plagued him. I saw
him frequently for one problem or another;
sometimes I thought he just wanted to talk.
20 Lehigh County Health & Medicine | FALL 2021
His visits often challenged my diagnostic
skills. Some of his complaints were clearly
psychosomatic, and at times, it was difficult
to sort out the pathologic from the
emotional. He was cordial to me and my
staff and he seemed to take comfort in my
reassurance. I respected him, too. Not only
did he survive unspeakable horrors; he was
able to build a life in America, establishing
a sheet metal business, sustaining a happy
marriage which produced three loving and
intelligent children.
I enjoyed speaking with Leon about his
interests in politics and religion. He could
find a religious reference for almost any
situation. When my own parents died, I
frequently attended the evening services
at the Orthodox Temple where he was a
member. He would greet me and call me
his " rofeh, " the Hebrew term for physician.
He explained that Jews all over the world
pray everyday for " rofuah shlemah, " healing
of the sick.
And then when Leon had a persistent
cough, I ordered a chest xray. Although
there was no evidence of pneumonia, the
film showed new shadows. A followup CAT
scan confirmed my suspicions of possible
lymphoma. Because of his advanced age,
and because the condition was causing no
symptoms, Leon and I agreed to a course
of observation. An oncologist concurred.

Lehigh County Health & Medicine Fall 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Lehigh County Health & Medicine Fall 2021

Lehigh County Health & Medicine Fall 2021 - 1
Lehigh County Health & Medicine Fall 2021 - 2
Lehigh County Health & Medicine Fall 2021 - 3
Lehigh County Health & Medicine Fall 2021 - 4
Lehigh County Health & Medicine Fall 2021 - 5
Lehigh County Health & Medicine Fall 2021 - 6
Lehigh County Health & Medicine Fall 2021 - 7
Lehigh County Health & Medicine Fall 2021 - 8
Lehigh County Health & Medicine Fall 2021 - 9
Lehigh County Health & Medicine Fall 2021 - 10
Lehigh County Health & Medicine Fall 2021 - 11
Lehigh County Health & Medicine Fall 2021 - 12
Lehigh County Health & Medicine Fall 2021 - 13
Lehigh County Health & Medicine Fall 2021 - 14
Lehigh County Health & Medicine Fall 2021 - 15
Lehigh County Health & Medicine Fall 2021 - 16
Lehigh County Health & Medicine Fall 2021 - 17
Lehigh County Health & Medicine Fall 2021 - 18
Lehigh County Health & Medicine Fall 2021 - 19
Lehigh County Health & Medicine Fall 2021 - 20
Lehigh County Health & Medicine Fall 2021 - 21
Lehigh County Health & Medicine Fall 2021 - 22
Lehigh County Health & Medicine Fall 2021 - 23
Lehigh County Health & Medicine Fall 2021 - 24
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/LehighCountyHealth_Medicine/LCHM_Fall21
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/LehighCountyHealth_Medicine/LCHM_Summer21
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/LehighCountyHealth_Medicine/LCHM_Spring21
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/LehighCountyHealth_Medicine/LCHMFall_Winter20
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/LehighCountyHealth_Medicine/LehighCountyHealthMedicineSummer2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/LehighCountyHealth_Medicine/LCHM_Spring20
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/LehighCountyHealth_Medicine/LCHM_Winter19
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/LehighCountyHealth_Medicine/LCHM_Fall19
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/LehighCountyHealth_Medicine/LCHM_Summer19
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/LehighCountyHealth_Medicine/LCHM_Spring19
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/LehighCountyHealth_Medicine/LCHM_Winter18
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/LehighCountyHealth_Medicine/LCHM_Fall18
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/LehighCountyHealth_Medicine/LCHMSummer18
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/LehighCountyHealth_Medicine/LCHMSpring18
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/LehighCountyHealth_Medicine/LCHMWinter2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/LehighCountyHealth_Medicine/LCHMWinter18
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/LehighCountyHealth_Medicine/Fall2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/LehighCountyHealth_Medicine/LCHMSummer2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/hoffmann/LehighCountyHealth_Medicine/LCHMSpring2017
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com