TY - JOUR T1 - The Phoenix: A 20-Year Patient-Doctor Journey JF - The Annals of Family Medicine JO - Ann Fam Med SP - 80 LP - 82 DO - 10.1370/afm.2486 VL - 18 IS - 1 AU - Ruth Kannai AU - Dana Salem AU - Aya Rice (Alon) Y1 - 2020/01/01 UR - http://www.annfammed.org/content/18/1/80.abstract N2 - In a previous story (“On Blindness and Blind Spots”)1 I sought to understand the psychological causes of a long-time patient’s myriad of seemingly inexplicable symptoms. Since then, I learned more of her story, which helped me understand my patient with a new perspective.Dana shared with me, and now with the readers, short poetic pieces she has written to describe her traumatic experiences as a child—and the efforts she makes as a grown woman to heal, like the phoenix rises from its ashes. The value of belief in one’s patient, alongside patience and the opportunity to build a trusting relationship over many years—as the truth has a pace of its own—are underscored. ER -