In my business, if I get too close to you and you die, it hurts me. And so you develop a natural inclination not to be close to the patient, so that if things don't work out ideally, you can still get up the next day and care for the next patient.

Summary

This quote speaks to the emotional detachment that can exist between healthcare professionals and their patients. The speaker, likely a medical professional, acknowledges that getting too close to patients and witnessing their struggles or even potential death can take an emotional toll. To protect themselves, they develop a natural inclination to maintain some distance from patients, allowing them to cope if things go wrong, and enabling them to continue caring for future patients without carrying the burden of previous losses. It signifies the delicate balance between compassion and self-preservation in the healthcare profession.

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