Caring, Knowlege, Wisdom

I knew John before he became my doctor, we both worked for several years with a Boy Scout Troop. So, I have many memories of John in various settings including the most recent of him as my doctor. From all these memories I would describe John as caring, knowledgeable and wise. I am sure there are other adjectives that would fit, in a positive way, but these are the ones that come to my mind.
I first saw these attributes as he worked with scouts which were 11 to 18 years of age, maybe I should have added patience to the list. He was great with the scouts as they recognized his knowledge and wisdom. He would teach them various scout skills such as knot tying, first aid, camping skills and the like. More importantly, in addition to sharing his knowledge of the mechanics of the skill, he explained how these could be applied and used in real life situations this wisdom helped the scouts to understand why these were important and how they could be applied, not just something they needed to learn for rank or a merit badge. He cared for them by spending the time in meetings and on outings teaching and demonstrating these skills and the applications.
Focusing on the time since I have been one of his patients, I see his caring, knowledge and wisdom. When I visit John, I am impressed by the time he takes with me, I don’t feel like I am being rushed. We may chat a bit to catch up on family happenings and I appreciate his caring enough to ask. As we get into the reason for the visit, he takes time to listen and ask questions to ensure he understands my symptoms. He requests information and examines as necessary to be able to determine what he believes to be the issue. His knowledge shows as he explains what he believes is the problem and why it presents the way it does. His wisdom allows him to consider my background and he explains the situation in a way I can relate to without being confused or lost in medical terminology.
Recently I dealt with a back issue causing pain in my lower back and down my leg that affected my mobility. He helped me understand the cause and treatment approach. My wife was in to visit with him about a month later, as they chatted, he asked her about my situation. This led to a follow-up visit for me and due to certain symptoms still presenting we planned another course of action. I really appreciated his caring and compassion for my wellbeing and pursuit to understand more about where I was in the healing process. I am very blessed to have him as my doctor.