"An Irish Country Doctor"

A wee Irish tale about new general practitioner in-training, Dr. Barry Laverty and his mentor Dr. Fingal Flahertie O’Reilly.

 

The novel by Patrick Taylor took me back to my first days as a veterinarian doing medicine and surgery in rural Arkansas.  Sometimes....its more about the people.  Even in veterinary medicine.  And sometimes, nay, most of the time, they can wear you down, expose every last weakness you have and make you think more than twice if you've picked the right path for yourself.  But, there are usually the rare few of them that make it all worthwhile. 

I chuckled when reading the passages about traipsing through the pasture and getting their trousers all dirty.  About needing Wellingtons.  About having little time off.  About sometimes treating the patient instead of the problem. 

I related about not being perfect.  About mad clients that don't understand that some things can't be easily diagnosed or even treated if is diagnosed.  About overcoming your own weaknesses in your mind...not one doctor in the entirety of the universe is infallible.  I also related about reveling in successes and feeling satisfied when helping someone. 

In short, a lovely Irish tale that is good for a quick read and some nostalgia.  I just might read the sequel.