December is not a good month to be a family doctor, or any doctor for that matter. I have lost count the number of bad diagnoses I have had to give before Christmas. What an incredibly shitty way to end a year.
“I’m so sorry to have to tell you this, but that lump in your groin is lymphoma.”
“The biopsy has confirmed it’s malignant melanoma.
“Unfortunately, your baby stopped growing around 9 weeks of pregnancy.”
“The lump in your breast is suspicious for cancer.”
January is sometimes even worse. Who wants to start a new year with bad news?
Every year I feel like I’m back here lamenting the fact that it’s supposed to be a magical time of year, these “holidays”, and I’m forced to give more people more bad news. Can’t I just have one year where everyone is healthy? Is that really too much to ask for?
The Urban Dr. Mom 
Amen.
Right?! Bad news sucks any time of the year but I find it clusters more in December. So strange.
And death clusters in January.
Ugh. Yeah.
I agree giving bad news is tough.Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve aren’t holidays, so I often end up doing clinic and giving out diagnosis. But people linger in your memory, even now from years ago.
We can only do our best.
This is so true. Thank you!