Not a resident. Here’s a letter I wrote to the resident who took care of me once. Sometimes you get through to one.

I am one of thousands of patients you have seen, and I doubt you remember me, but I remember you and wanted to thank you.

I think you were still a resident when you saw me in the ED when I was 25 years old. I had experienced my first of what would be many withdrawal related seizures and was brought in by ambulance. When you informed me of my extremely elevated liver enzymes and inevitable onset of the DTs, it forced me to come to terms with my alcoholism in a way I could no longer deny. I argued with you in the ER bay that I did not need treatment at the time, convinced you to discharge me (with some take home Librium), and wasted your time when you were probably overworked, overtired, and had patients to attend to that did not negligently cause their own visit.

I am over 5 years sober today living a happy, productive life, and that visit with you was the catalyst. Thank you for being my doctor that day. When more people like me show up in your ER and it feels futile, I just want you to know it made a world of difference for at least one patient.