My Medicine, My Body

While Dr. Porter's professional life as a paediatrician had been devoted to issues of child health and the improvement of health services delivered to children and families, he also wished to help improve medical education in general, focusing particularly on the importance of the doctor-patient relationship. Serendipity delivered him a series of life threatening health problems causing him to reflect on the patient role from the perspective of a doctor turned patient, the main message of this book. In his description of both serious and less serious issues concerning his health, Dr. Porter highlights the life-saving aspects of medical technology, while reflecting on the loss of empathy and compassion he experienced within the health care system. The book allows a rare glimpse into a body suffering numerous medical crises that most of them had been successfully diagnosed, treated, and cured, but not without the contrasting frustration frequently experienced upon seeking or receiving medical care. Although this may be true for any patient, still Dr. Porter paints a vivid picture of the special tribulations experienced by the knowledgeable physician in these situations.