AOSW Connections
Film Review: “patient, a surgeon’s journey”
On Feb 1, 2014, Dr. Jeffrey Piehler‘s article, “Ashes to Ashes, but First a Nice Pine Box,” was published online in The New York Times. The subsequent film, “patient, a surgeon’s journey,” was inspired by Piehler’s message, “No one wants to talk about dying, but everyone wants to talk about dying.”
Piehler, who describes himself as an obsessive surgeon (at one point in his career he handled over 1,000 cases a year), learns at the age of 54 that he has incurable cancer. After retiring from medicine, he refocuses his life on that which gives him meaning, including spending time with family, travel, connecting with others, teaching and photography. Approximately 11 years later—years that included multiple medical treatments/ trials—Piehler, recognizing “…as we used to say in the medical business, I am starting to circle the drain,” decides to build his own coffin and elicits the support and assistance of his friend Peter Warren. “The idea came to me at the funeral of an 18-year-old boy. While sitting in the church, I couldn’t help noticing the plushness of the young man’s open mahogany coffin, and knowing the family’s plan to cremate him afterwards, I wondered where there was a kind of contradiction here.”
Piehler’s journey is not just an emotional-spiritual transformative experience, but a very tangible visceral physical experience as he physically and tactilely helps carve and design his own coffin with the assistance and tutelage of Warren. He does this not “as my abandonment of the fight against cancer which, by their reasoning must be the explanation for my continued survival,” but upon learning some had interpreted it to be a physical act reflective of his spirituality and beliefs. The process and time in this experiential action not only depicts the development of a powerful genuine friendship between Piehler and Warren but also acts as a medium of reconciliation of the living and dying process for Piehler.
Piehler’s relationship with his caregivers (his wife, friend and oncologist) provide an exemplary and beautiful transaction between caregivers and “patient.” Piehler shares his fears about becoming a “burden” for his caregivers, and through his relationship with Warren in the process of building his own coffin learns and discovers the powerful “gift” a patient can provide by “permitting” and “gifting” caregiving. Piehler also shares his openness and his peace with his dying process with his oncologist, Dr. Vanveldhuizen, and emphasizes the immensely powerful healing created when this dialogue occurs between patient and provider. Self-determination, empowerment, caring communication and decreasing professional burnout are all themes embraced by this powerful interaction between patient and provider.
The movie is a 72-minute documentary of Piehler’s journey (with his caregivers, wife, friend and oncologist) making meaning of living, dying, and the purpose and power of caregiving. This movie is as powerful for patients as it is for providers as we are all on the same trajectory. As Piehler stated, “… converting material objects, holding on to old grudges, failing to pause to see the grace in strangers—all equally foolish. While the coffin is indeed a reminder of what awaits us all, its true message is to live every moment to its greatest potential.”
References
Larrabee, A. (Director). (2014). Patient, a Surgeon’s Journey [Motion picture on DVD]. United States of America: Inland Sea Productions. www.patientthemovie.com
Piehler, J.M. (2014, February 1). Ashes to Ashes, but First a Nice Pine Box. The New York Times. Retrieved January 7, 2018, from https://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/02/opinion/sunday/ashes-to-ashes-but-first-a-nice-pine-box.html
About the Author
Genevieve Morenas, LCSW
Hematology/Oncology Social WorkerVA Medical Center
Kansas City, Missouri
gemorenas@gmail.com
Genevieve Morenas, LCSW
Hematology/Oncology Social WorkerVA Medical Center
Kansas City, Missouri
gemorenas@gmail.com
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