A Lie I Kept

I'm thirty-five and have been a general practitioner for nearly ten years. Lately, the routine has started to feel a bit stale. On Tuesday last week, a new patient came in with some rather embarrassing symptoms she was too shy to discuss with anyone else. After examining her thoroughly and discussing all options, I prescribed something that might just work. But here's where it gets tricky. The medicine is quite expensive. Knowing this would put a strain on her budget, I lied to her about the price, telling her it would be covered under her insurance when in reality, there was no coverage for it at all. It felt wrong but also like an easy way out of adding more stress to someone's already difficult day. I haven't slept well since and can't shake this feeling that I've compromised my integrity. The guilt is eating me up inside, though it was a small act with potentially no consequences. Yet, it still feels like a major breach in the trust between us.