RR5: Dokte Paul due Thursday Nov 8

One thing that really stuck out to me about Paul Farmer was his pure selflessness. He constantly put others before him, and never seemed too concerned about his own needs or well being. Farmer is willing to spend as much time with an individual as the individual needs, even if it means working long hours and not getting any sleep. Farmer never seems to be in a rush when dealing with patients, never hints at the business of his schedule, nor does he try to hurry things along. Farmer takes as much time as he needs to simply listen to people, and through this, they open up to him and a connection is formed. Farmer makes it clear to everyone he interacts with that he is here to stay. He’s not here for a short two weeks, but for long periods of time, and shows that he is willing to invest and fully integrate himself in the community by not looking at time as something to be concerned about. The people in Haiti really see this, and as a result they feel more open in forming close connections with Farmer. Farmer’s methods are something that we can all aspire to be like—just by simply putting our own needs and desires on hold and investing time into people, powerful connections can be made.

There was one particular part of the reading that really struck me in regards to how Paul Farmer dealt with a belief that was far different from his own. In Chapter Three, Kidder narrates how the Haitians in the country side believe in magic. The book also tells how this belief was even tearing families apart, in the case of the mother ostracizing her son for “using magic.”
Farmer’s approach is not what I expected. Perhaps I come from a more cynical viewpoint, but I expected that, though Farmer understood why the Haitians believed magic was the reason for such illnesses (meaning the Haitians developed this explanation because they did not understand the cause of such sickness), he would leave it be. By this I mean that he would brush it aside and deem it unimportant because it is a characteristic of an intellectually undeveloped people.
I was surprised that in the case of the mother and her son, as Kidder states, Farmer “begins telling her not that sorcery doesn’t exist but that he knows sorcery wasn’t involved in this instance” (Kidder 28). Farmer did not belittle the belief, but rather he worked with it, knowing that this belief was important to the people although he knew such magic was nonsense.
I think that this is something to aspire towards. Although someone’s beliefs may be radically different from your own, as Farmer did, we should not only respect that they have different beliefs but furthermore truly try to understand these viewpoints. In the case of the Haitian mother and son, these beliefs ran deep to the point where they were tearing up the family. I think that it is easy to put such differences aside. However, these differences (even this belief in “maji”), as exemplified in the reading, are crucial to truly understanding the people. If I went to Haiti and encountered this, I’ll be honest. I would just push it to the back of my mind. But I now think that this is the wrong approach. I should be willing to make the effort to fully understand the belief especially if it is that important to the people with whom I treat. Though it may place me in an uncomfortable situation, if I truly care about the people, I should make the effort to understanding how their beliefs affects their daily lives, and though I may not agree with the belief, I need to know that though it may not be real, the effects of the belief are incredibly real.

Paul Farmer is able to connect with different people by being cordial and also by taking their view into account. In the book, when he is talking to Joe, he speaks with him through the point of view as a doctor who is trying to diagnose and treat his patient but also as a kind of friend. He sits with Joe and they laugh and joke together which allows Joe to speak more frankly with Farmer than with the other doctors, although he is just as friendly. He does not make conversation impersonal but instead has it directed towards the individual he is speaking to. Farmer also approaches his patients with kindness, love and attentiveness, and I think that these characteristics can be adopted in a day-to-day basis by individuals as well. When people feel that someone cares for them and is genuinely interested in listening to them, they are more receptive. At his core, Farmer is able to exhibit these traits that make him personable and that also encourage people to open up to him. He does not try to present himself as an imposing doctor who is there to provide salvation, but instead as a person who is looking to meet the needs of those around him and his patients. It is also his continual desire to be better than he is that makes him such a great person.

One of my mentors in high school once told me “it’s the hearts we touch and not the things that we get that define our success”, and Paul Farmer’s dedication to helping people in Haiti is a perfect example of this. Not only does Farmer find ways of connecting with people who are different from him but he also gives up his own resources (money and time) to help them which shows that he is intrinsically motivated not by money but by his love for helping others and making a difference. Paul comes into working with his patients with an anthological point of view, knowing that he must put himself into their shoes to understand their lives and culture. He comes in with a positive perspective and curiosity to learn more about their culture, while at the same time making sure he is careful with what he says or does so he does not offend anyone. His methods are something to which we can all aspire and learn from. Paul’s abilities to situate himself into another culture and follow his goals in life show the true definition of success and accomplishment. Paul realizes that success cannot be bought by money but rather it’s the things that you do better the world that makes us successful.

Dr. Paul Farmer provides his full attention to each patient he encounters. He dedicates his ears, eyes, and gift of healing. He knows that patients love his simple company and he has no problem giving it to them. A problem Farmer faces among his patients is their belief in sorcery. As he tries to explain that their ill health and tuberculosis is due to germs and not Voodoo, his patients strongly believe it is a curse sent by enemies. Dr. Paul Farmer has degrees in both medicine and anthropology, so while trying to give his patients the medical attention they need to overcome their illness he also understands and respects their culture and belief system. During his journey of completely dedicating himself to serve those in need with the education he had been granted Paul shares that one can not simply give the patient medicine and move on to the next. It isn’t about the number, he is not treating the illness he is treating the patient. It’s like cleaning your hands with soap and water and then drying them in dirt. With each patient comes a service package that includes physical reminders to take the medicine according to schedule; a monthly stipend for food, child care, and transportation; and regularly scheduled check ups. Farmer loves his job and does it right, he never shows his patients that he doesn’t want to help them or that is in a hurry to do something else. The community of workers, patients, and villagers all respect the doctor and really appreciate all he does. His methods are definitely something to which we can aspire. He is doing what he loves during his time and for his reasons. He is not in it for recognition, money, or because he has to; he genuinely wants to help out the community.

Through Dr. Farmer’s compassion and understanding personality, he is able to connect with his patients in Haiti who are of a lower socioeconomic status and living in very poor conditions, despite his high degree of education and ability to live a very wealthy lifestyle. He establishes more than a typical doctor-patient relationship and goes beyond just giving them the medicine necessary to be treated for whatever disease they have. He says that the objective for other doctors and nurses is to “inculcate…the spirit to dedicate themselves to the patients,” which is something that Dr. Farmer has dedicated his life to. After treating his patients, he makes sure to follow-up with treatment and even provides other services that he feels will help with the overall well-being and recovery of his patients. He sees their need for healthcare since there is a lack of it in general, and does his best to provide them the best, rather than just a simple check-up. He mentions how some people expect to treat and look out for others successfully without costing them anything, However, Dr. Farmer shows through his actions that despite the difference in social status and economic standing between him and his patients, he can dedicate his time and efforts to save a life and to care on a more deeper level for those that people of the same socioeconomic standing wouldn’t dare to even look at.

His methods are inspiring. He has the education and money to look after himself and to work in a high-paying hospital, but he looks past that and really takes a look at those who need his care. He looks after those in the world that are generally neglected by first-world countries and builds that personal connection with them to make sure that they are cared for individually, as opposed to just sending them money and not knowing how successful treatment is, if they are even treated that is. He also does his best to make sure that they receive the best that they can, despite the money he knows it’ll take to do so, which is something that I feel a lot of us fail to do. There is a tendency to do the bare minimum and we forget sometimes to be selfless and to really go above what is expected for the benefit of others. Dr. Farmer is someone we can look to as an example of compassion and understanding towards those who are different from us.

Dr. Farmer connects with different people of different backgrounds by being totally understanding of other people. He puts himself in other people’s shoes and tried to understand where they are coming from. He shows compassion and doesn’t treat his patients as clients but as people. He cares about their personal problems and tries to connect with them on a different level than just doctor-patient. He sacrifices his time and goes to Haiti to help the poor people there. He could have probably made more money and become wealthy if he chose to but instead uses his resources and knowledge to help others in need. He even takes the time to learn the language in order to better help the people there. He doesn’t do all this as some public relations project but instead does it because he genuinely cares about the people. I think we can all learn something from him especially the part about taking the time to truly understand others. I feel like people now a days are quick to judge. If i met Joe i might have judged him quickly thinking he is just another druggie. Dr. Farmer however takes his time to connect with him and help him get his life together. If we were all a little bit like Dr. Farmer then I think society would function a little bit better.

Even though Dr. Farmer did not like the US plan to fix Haiti’s battered economy, he found a way to identify with the majority of people that needed so much help still. Dr. farmer had grown up in a trailer park, as he mentioned himself, but graduated from Harvard, so that is a great story. A story that in a way explains his journey to this point in Haiti and later in his life; he understands the soldiers yet he disagrees with its tactics. Easy going, Dr. Farmer has a deep sense of helping others, which reflects on his contact and visits to Haiti, where he treats patients for free, something he can afford since he belongs to the club of prominent doctors in Boston. He described himself as ” a poor people’s doctor” and that shows his dedication to helping the poor, not only in Haiti but in the US a well. I really enjoyed his comments and philosophy of life.

Paul Farmer who is an intelligent doctor is different from the soldiers we have met due to the fact that he is patient and truly cares about the people of Haiti. Unlike Captain Carroll, who is there on a mission to keep the peace, Farmer is there by his own will. His intentions are to truly help people to the best of his abilities. He takes the time to get to know the people of Haiti and making an impact in people’s lives. I feel like people have forgotten this human touch and have instead focused on giving money instead of time. As community leaders, it is our responsible to change this and act like Paul Farmer and get involved in a deeper connection, other than monetary value.

Was Farmer’s background vastly different from those whom he treated? He grew up in a trailer park and expressed an understanding of the lower economic class. He lived in a church rectory while attending in Boston. His “home” in Haiti was “better sort of peasant house,” exceptional in that it had a bathroom. It seems to me that, though comparing his opportunities to those in Haiti creates a stark contrast, Farmer shared a background of being of low socioeconomic status in their respective communities. Farmer point’s to one of the contributing factors being the ambivalence he feels when selling his service while there are those who cannot afford to buy his services. Farmer also was cautious about relating too much with his staff and their complaints for fear that he would relate less to the patients he served. Lastly, Farmer believed that the world’s problems could not be solved without personal cost.

I think that we could all learn from the idea that sacrifice is necessary to solve the big problems. If we could apply just a little bit of that equation to our environmental problems we might figure out how to live sustainable lives.

Paul Farmer connects with people because he spends time with his patients. He doesn’t just treat his patients – he creates relationships with them. He tries to build personal relationships with each patient. One of his patients tells him he wants to live in an HIV home and Farmer obliges. He tries his best to keep promises, so that his patients trust him. Furthermore, he doesn’t judge his patients for their beliefs, because he understands that their culture is different from his and it is not appropriate to judge someone else’s culture through the standards of your own. Thus, using cultural relativism, he is better able to understand the place his patients are coming from.
His methods are definitely something we should all aspire to, but not what we can all aspire to. For example, in America, not all people care about helping others, because they think that by receiving handouts, they will never be successful, independent citizens. There is a huge emphasis on individualism that dominates a large part of our culture. However, more public-minded citizens (like all of us in this class) should be able to act like Farmer.

Paul Farmer is not a common man. Although he came from a financially stable background, what he has to offer in America was not what he felt destined for. His passion was to help others that are far less fortunate that he is. So he left his upper class home and family to move to a remote place in Cange to serve others. Cange was said to be one of the most underdeveloped cities in the world. So Farmer took the initiative to come out and devote his live and knowledge to helping this community and many other surrounding villages. In doing so, many have referred to him as the hardest workingman, but the poorest man because all his earning were given to people who he felt needed it more. What separates him from other people that give back is his endless eagerness to help others while taking no time to care for his own health. He rarely sleeps and makes countless trips to help as many people as he can. In an area with high prevalence of tuberculosis in adults, and HIV, is difficult to seek treatment especially because their income could not afford it. Although there are copayments for hospital and clinical visitations, Farmer made possible for everyone have the opportunity to get treatment even if they do not have money. In addition, communities have accepted him as a higher power because of his capabilities to heal and some grew to love him as a son. His dedication to the people helped him develop a role as an idol to the community. He was not just a physician to the people, he was a role model, a mentor, and most importantly he was compassionate to his patients. Although he received no tangible rewards, his kisses from elders, lives that he saved, and the second chances he gave to others is what makes him a wealthy man.

In order to connect with people form backgrounds vastly different than his own, Paul Farmer practices a number of tactics. He is patient, he takes time to talk to patients and learn fully what is wrong. He is self sacrificing, he gives services in places where people cannot afford them, “I took steps to be a doctor for those who don’t have medical care” (24). Furthermore, lives in church when he is not in Haiti. When he goes to Haiti he goes out of his way to get into Haiti to be able to help others. Farmer typically puts more money out then what he gets in as a doctor, but that is not the reason why he became a doctor, he wants to help. Keep in mind that most doctors live lavish lives with money; he prefers to live in a church. In order to help others, especially the poor, you have to understand where they come from and Farmer does this exactly. He fully immerses himself in the conflict and everyday obstacles his patients face in order further understand their condition. Therefore he makes himself more able to help. I feel as if people should use his methods as some sort of goal when it comes to doing things for the right reason. For instance helping others not for monetary reasons, but because you truly want to help. I also believe that, like Farmer, individuals should push themselves out of their comfort zones and experience other people’s struggle, whether it be being poor or living in a war zone full of conflict, like Haiti. Fully immerse yourself in order to full understand. His methods of which he makes these connections are in fact ones of which we all can inspire to.

Paul Farmer is able to connect with people whose backgrounds are vastly different from his own because he is understanding and compassionate. He does not judge people by their race or circumstances. I believe he is optimistic and looks for the good in everyone. He is also determined to help whoever is in need and will not stop until he has accomplished that. There were two examples that really stuck out to me. The first one was his willpower to help the people of Haiti. He would go through great lengths just to ensure that his patients were well and attended for. The second example was when he told Joe, his friend and patient, to smoke marijuana instead of doing cocaine. Farmer addressed the situation realistically. I felt he had a more down to earth approach. Instead of telling Joe to stop taking drugs completely (which is hard to do for an addict, and not really realistic) he tried to appease the situation and find a more suitable solution.

I also think that because Farmer does not have an “I’m your savior” mindset, but instead has an “I’m here to help you because I genuinely care” mindset, people are more likely to accept his help. He is not doing this for pride, money, or recognition.

I believe he is a great role model. Everyone should learn from him. I bet that if everyone in this world had half of the good qualities that he had, the world would be a better place. We need to be less materialistic, more accepting and more open-minded. We need to realize that we are all human beings and we need to help each other. Farmer has come to this realization already, and we can see that through his amazing actions.

Farmer integrates himself into the poor communities. He lives more months of the year with his vulnerable patients than in commodity in Boston. Unlike most doctors, Farmer does not rush or make his patients feel like just business. In fact, he does not charge his patients and this makes his dedication and benevolence truly respectable. More than their health reliever, Farmer, as Kidder portrays him, plays the role of these people’s mentor, comrade, and ultimately their fresh breath of air. We should totally respect this guy. At the death of one of his patient while he was injured, someone told the doctor that he would have never died had he been there. But rather than taking it as a compliment he was self-reproachful and committed to helping his patients even more. He is a role model to society because his altruistic ways with his people gave hundreds of people a reason to continue fighting in life. Furthermore, he donates all of his salary to the clinic in Haiti. I mean there are people that donate a dollar and feel like they are people worthy of subliminal rewards, but he just reaches a whole new level of humbleness.