I have known for a while that Suicides among Physician's and nurses have sky rocketed. This article by the sister of the physician who died by suicide emplains why we must do more to help those struggleing with mental health.

 

Featured article from the Hennepin Healthcare Foundation: An "Imperfect storm": Pushing for Change in the Wake of a Physician's Suicide. Written by Dr. Michelle Chestovich, sister of Dr. Gretchen Butler.

For Dr. Gretchen Butler, a social gathering was never just a get-together. It was an opportunity for a theme. " She was the fun one," said her sister, Dr. Michelle Chestovich. "She always brought adventure. Most importantly, she was kind and generous to everyone."

Gretchen worked as a radiologist and beloved teacher at Hennepin Healthcare. She earned honors as chief resident, teaching assistant of the year, and radiology resident of the year.  She was a mentor, a friend, a wife, and a mother of three.

In March of 2021, Gretchen died unexpectantly by suicide.  Now her friends and family are using her story to continue her legacy of care, compassion, and kindness. Working with the Hennepin Healthcare Foundation, they are raising awareness of mental healthcare and funding programs for doctors.

To honor her legacy we need to talk about it," said Michelle. " We need to say this can happen to the most outstanding person with the most loving, supportive family. This is a disease."

Michelle describes the circumstances leading to her sister's death as an imperfect storm."  Gretchen had given birth to her youngest child 18 months before she died.  Gretchen never took a full maternity leave because she felt a responsibility to get back to work.  The stress of being a mom and being a doctor were adding up.  Then Covid hit.

" When the pandemic came we all kind of backed off as a family because we're in healthcare and we didn't want to make each other sick," said Michelle.

Family gatherings through the holidays were conducted via zoom. The pandemic isolation also spread to Gretchen's work, where the normal banter with her colleagues was replaced by the silence of social distance.  For someone who is universally described as empathetic, the trauma of seeing extremely sick COVID patients every day was particularly difficult to process.

Gretchen had been receiving treatment for anxiety at the urging of her family and they thought she was doing better.  Then, after a particularly difficult week, she called her sister saying she felt sick, tired, and exhausted. She told Michelle how much she was looking forward to a trip to Florida the following week when she would have a chance to finally relax. She never took the trip. Gretchen died three days later.

So she was looking ahead. And I don't think it was fake, " said Michelle. " As a family doctor, I treat depression and anxiety regularly.  People say they sometimes have thoughts of hurting themselves. And so many people say, ' I would never do it. I wouldn't do it because of my children.'  I used to believe them, I absolutely don't believe them anymore because this woman loved her children beyond anything.

Gretchen's family and friends decided right away to be open about her cause of death and to work for changes in healthcare to help others who need mental health support.  Michelle says she's pleased to see programs like RISE aimed at helping residents with mental health needs. She wants to make this kind of care more universal, especially for doctors in the years after residency when they are suddenly on their own, often starting families, and teaching and mentoring students.

"We're taught in medical school to stuff our emotions and not cry on the rounds.  And I sort of get why we maybe shouldn't be crying when we're taking care of patients.  But what about afterward?"  said Michelle.  "We just told a young woman that she has breast cancer and isn't going to survive. We just told a mother that her 22-year-old died in a motorcycle accident. We see and deal with trauma every day and no one teaches us how to deal with it"

Michelle says her sister was a perfect example of what we need more of in medicine. We want people who are both driven and empathetic. We want perfectionists who also care about helping colleagues learn and grow. Now, she says, we need to create a system that will support doctors like Gretchen.

"Hopefully, it will be an honor to her, because unfortunately, she's not here, and that hurts my heart tremendously," said Michelle. 

By telling Gretchen's story, Michelle hopes more doctors will have access to the help they need to weather the storms they face and make it to the other side.

If you are struggling with depression during this pandemic of isolation I urge you to tell someone. If you are struggling with a traumatic loss of someone you loved, I urge you to seek the support through Grief Share.  Griefshare.org