More than 25 years have passed since the first time I entered an intensive care room where a patient was recovering from severe burns, but I can still vividly recall the scene and how it affected me. Extensive dressings obscured most of his body, but I experienced a strong aversion to what I was able to see and perceive through other senses. Thinking about his long and painful healing process and the significant disability that would inevitably result from his injuries raised questions in my mind about his quality of life. Several years later, I unexpectedly encountered the same patient when he arrived for an appointment at our office reception desk.
He was now well past the acute healing stage, but I was again taken aback by the extensive scarring and disfigurement and thought again about his quality of life. I was not aware of his abilities or goals and did not have any sense of how he perceived his situation. My impressions were based solely on my own experiences, attitudes, beliefs, and feelings about his physical condition.
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