That One Patient by Ellen de Visser

For every doctor there is that one patient, whose story touches them in a way they didn’t expect, changing their entire outlook on life. This inspiring and deeply moving book is the story of those patients.

Every weekend, in Holland’s most popular newspaper, de Volkskrant, renowned science-journalist Ellen de Visser asks a different medical professional to tell her about ‘that one patient’; the patient who changed everything for them.

Every day, in every country, thousands of patients share their stories with their doctors: stories they may never have told anyone else; stories that are heartbreaking, sometimes funny, and – just occasionally – unforgettable. To be able to do their job to the best of their abilities, medical experts use their ‘professional empathy’: they sympathize with their patients but try to keep themselves at a distance. But there is always that one patient who, for whatever reason, bridges this distance and often unwittingly, has a lasting impact on their doctor’s life.

There’s the dying patient whose decision to donate their organs would save the lives of five different people, bringing incredible comfort to the family they left behind. Or the little girl who showed clear evidence of having been beaten by an adult, but who remained too loyal to her step-father to say a word. There’s the little boy, diagnosed with life-threatening malaria in a Sudanese refugee camp, whose astonishing survival against the odds still inspires their doctor each time they stand by the bed of a child who looks unlikely to make it. And there’s the cancer patient whose love of cycling and unflagging optimism inspired his oncologist in ways he could never have imagined.

That One Patient is brimming with intimate stories of connection and of the unanticipated ways we can affect one other’s lives. All of them remind us of just how extraordinary humans can be, and of our incredible capacity for bravery, strength and humour.

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This book reminds me a little of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series. Short stories on a similar topic, highlighting a certain moment or realisation. If you liked that style, you'll enjoy these.

These stories cover a lot of different specialities and different types of patient. Several of them seemed to end on the same morals; listen to your patient, they know their body; treat the whole patient, not just the illness; emotions should be involved but only so much. Let's hope that all doctors follow those ideals.

I liked that a few of the stories were from the recent pandemic, and oddly I enjoyed the stories where doctors themselves became patients. Seeing the same hospitals and procedures from both sides is very intriguing. Some of the stories were desperately sad, but that's very true to life as well.

BE AWARE: as many of these stories are from the Netherlands, euthanasia is legal and is a feature in some of the stories. If you are staunchly anti-euthanasia, these stories may upset you. 

A great book to dip in and out of, I'll definitely be coming back to this book in future. Just need to stock up on tissues first...

That One Patient published on the 18th of February, 2021. I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.