Grand Rounds

Last month, several of us PCers here in the Salt Lake valley went to the University of Utah Dermatology clinic for Grand Rounds. Grand Rounds is an occasion for doctors and medical residents from both the University of Utah and the surrounding area to come and see different kinds of skin conditions.   What happens is we – the patients – go into an examining room. Then, for the next hour (or less), doctors come in and out of the room, sometimes in groups, sometimes one at a time, and look at our nails, hands, feet, tongue, skin, and so on. This is a chance for these doctors to see rare conditions and learn more about them. In the past, in such a situation, I might have felt like I was some kind of freak show at a circus. Not anymore.

When my doctor asks me about attending a Grand Rounds session, I’m more than happy to come. It’s different now that I’m involved with PC Project. I want to educate just as many doctors about PC as I possibly can. In fact, in the examining room, I don’t just sit there and wait for them to ask me about PC. If they don’t ask to see one of my symptoms, I show them, and tell them as much as I can. I want them to understand and learn as much as possible about PC. At this point, it may not make that much of a difference in my life, but I hope that if these doctors, many of them just starting out or still in school, ever come across another person with PC, they will know better how to care for that person. I’ve been at some Grand Rounds where I’ve been the only patient in the room. However, the last few times I’ve had great fun, because I’ve had others with PC who live in Salt Lake City, whom I’ve met through PC Project, come with me. Last month there were four of us in the same room. We had a great time, joking, laughing and showing off our PC.   Because we weren’t all related, it was a neat opportunity to show all these medical people the different ways PC affects different people. What was even neater is after Grand Rounds, the medical folks all went to a special presentation specifically about PC, put on by yes, you guessed it, Dr. Sancy Leachman. Thanks to her, many dermatologists in Salt Lake City, and many up and coming doctors who will leave this area and practice medicine in other places, now know more about PC than ever before.

I’m also grateful for the Salt Lake City PC friends I’ve made here. Whenever Dr. Leachman has needed anything – from photos of symptoms to even skin biopsies – they have willingly participated in whatever has been needed to further the cause of research and understanding of PC. We’ve also had some nice social occasions together as well, always filled with lots of laughter and good talk. What a difference people can make in the lives of each other as we boost each other up. It’s like having a mini patient meeting every time we get together. I’ve been so impressed with them as they’ve generously given of themselves to further the PC cause. I think all of us, even those of us who are a little older, really want life to be better for all PCers. And if that means being on display for other doctors to see, hey, that’s okay with us.