Takeaway
A small, concrete gesture—bringing a bouquet of lilies to a patient—prompted her to share her history of trauma, enabling me to provide better care.
Connecting with Patients | February 4, 2026 | 1 min read
By Yunbing Wu, MBBS, Johns Hopkins Observership Program
While shadowing a physician assistant and physical therapist, I joined them by a patient’s bedside. I watched sunlight dance on her clouded lenses, catching in the corners of her eyes, and glint off the prosthetic resting in the corner. “Is it spring outside? It feels like it will never be spring again . . . I’m worthless, just like my husband told me. But thank you for coming. God bless you,” she said.
“I brought you lilies,” the physical therapist said. “Spring is right here, on your table. And you do deserve it. We all love you.”
The patient leaned forward, inhaling the scent of the flowers. Her eyes drifted shut. A faint smile formed on her lips. And then she began to tell her story of childhood traumas, of yearning for belonging and love, of the relentless grind of work to hold the family together. Life had pushed her to the edge many times, and she had thoughts of suicide, but her religious faith prevented her from doing so.
“You’re from China, right?” she asked me suddenly. “Can you teach me something Chinese?”
I’d love to!” I said. “We have an old saying: “Good people deserve all the good fortunes.” Those who choose kindness even in despair, blessings may not come right away, but they will come one day as long as we keep going and never give up hope. And I want to express my love also in Chinese: Wo Ai Ni—I love you.”
I saw spring again in her eyes. She reached out and held my hand tightly and kissed my cheek.
Before starting my observership at Johns Hopkins Medicine, I’d always been careful to show empathy while maintaining professional composure. In medical school, we were trained to be calm, objective, and always the pillar of strength. But now, I’ve learned that being human must come first. What truly matters is sharing love, and letting patients know they’re seen, heard, and loved.
This piece expresses the views solely of the author. It does not necessarily represent the views of any organization, including Johns Hopkins Medicine.