Why Is Viola Important

Viola

Viola is a 55-year-old woman, married, working, who was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis 2 years ago.

The patients highlighted the doctor-patient relationship as a key factor of helping them to deal with the pain. Viola said that the physician’s trust and help was essential for coping: ‘I think that one has to have an iron will to be able to elaborate such a tragedy [the illness]. Having a trusted person and being able to tell her when you feel sick is very important. Receiving the physician's trust and help is very important. Well, being able to speak about it sometimes with somebody it's really helpful. ’ Viola reflected on the importance of being able to count on the physician: ‘I mean, my reference point is my doctor. Despite

Viola explained how the rheumatologist motivated her to pay attention to her own physical sensations which, in turn, enabled her to understand her condition: ‘He [the doctor] always says that cooperation is needed, that you find them [the medications] together, that we have to be very attentive with our body; we have to learn to pay attention to ourselves. It is something I didn't do before. Now, for example, I try to find a moment of peace and to understand what is happening to me.’ The doctor treated the patient as a collaborator in finding the treatment by accepting her suggestions about how to modify the treatment: ‘So I went to the doctor, but I already knew which medication causes it [the symptoms]. Therefore, he said “That's nice, because I know what I have to change, which medication I have to change. We don't have to change all of them, because the cause is for sure that medication”. Indeed, the point is listening to your body.’ She also expressed that having the physician respect her views of her symptoms was an empowering experience. In particular, this quote shows that the belief in one’s capacity for self-management can contribute to learning how to live with the condition: ‘One has to learn to live with this disease day by day and not to get discouraged. […] On the one hand, there is the bad luck of having this illness, but on the other hand I have the chance to

For example, Viola said: ‘And even when I have to go and do my injection, I said to him that “You know, doctor, when I don't come here on Friday I miss you” (laughs) ’.

The patient looks on the bright side even when she experiences pain. She said: ‘I'm lucky that I have such pains, the strongest ones, always in my feet and ankles and much less in my hands, because I use much my hands for working. Then I think, instead of walking I’ll take the bus, maybe I'll limp for a few days, but my hands, I really need them from dawn to dusk.’

Viola highlighted that remaining active and searching for distraction is dispensable in her condition: ‘In my opinion, staying at home doesn't help at all. Otherwise you think only about your pain, about your disease and you fall into depression. You need an external environment, which you can rely on [...] I don't have time, when I'm working, I don't have time to think “Uh, how painful!”. Yes, it hurts, but if I have to stand, I do it. [...] Maybe I have an infinite pain, but I bite my